Amid ongoing protest, BMC approves 180 days of paid maternity leave for outsourced women health workers

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has approved 180 days of paid maternity leave for outsourced women health workers under the National Urban Health Mission (NUHM), following an ongoing protest by more than 1,700 outsourced health workers at Azad Maidan in Mumbai over pending demands, including minimum wages and delayed salary payments.

The proposal has received approval from the municipal commissioner, and the administration is in the process of issuing a circular to the outsourcing agency to implement the decision.

The development comes after Mumbai Mayor Ritu Tawde met a delegation of protesting workers at the mayoral residence on Wednesday (October 14), and informed them about the steps taken by the civic administration to address their grievances.

The workers have been protesting at Azad Maidan for the past several days, demanding improved working conditions, timely payment of salaries, revised minimum wages and maternity benefits.

Mayor’s visit

Ms. Tawde had earlier visited the protest site on October 5 and interacted with the workers to understand their concerns. Following the visit, she wrote to the civic administration seeking concrete measures to resolve their pending demands, particularly in recognition of their services during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Apart from approving maternity leave, the BMC has initiated the process of implementing revised minimum wages for outsourced health workers. The proposal, along with the observations of the Chief Labour Officer, is being submitted to the finance department for further consideration.

Penal action against contractor

The civic body has also taken penal action against the contractor, M/s D.S. Enterprises, over delays in disbursing salaries to workers. The agency has been issued strict instructions to ensure timely payment of wages.

To address future salary irregularities and other grievances, the BMC plans to constitute a committee headed by the Deputy Municipal Commissioner (Public Health). The committee will examine complaints and facilitate appropriate action against the contractor where necessary.

Speaking to the workers’ delegation, Ms. Tawde said the civic body remained committed to addressing the concerns of health workers who had served Mumbai during the pandemic.

“The municipal corporation stands firmly behind these outsourced health workers who took care of Mumbai residents during the Covid-19 pandemic. The decisions taken by the administration are aimed at fulfilling their rightful demands. The implementation of 180 days of maternity leave for women workers is a major relief. The administration and the government are also positive about addressing the remaining issues,” she said.

While the maternity leave proposal has received approval, the revised minimum wage proposal remains under consideration, and the grievance redressal committee is yet to be constituted.