Mumbai: Hundreds of contractual multi-purpose workers at the KEM Hospital have not received their salary for the past two months due to administrative delays within the BMC.
Ashwin (name changed), one of the affected workers, said nearly 250 employees like him, each of whom earn Rs 20,000 a month, were left to fend for themselves without pay. “Many of us borrowed from informal lenders at high interest rates just to manage basic household needs,” he said.
The delays were particularly harsh on those with dependents requiring medical care. “There are workers whose parents need regular dialysis,” Ashwin said.
These multi-purpose workers form the hospital’s backbone. From wheeling patients to the operation theatre, assisting in MRI and X-ray scans, to maintaining sanitation and helping patients with personal care like changing diapers and clothes—their roles are crucial.
KEM officials said the situation was being addressed. “Around 111 workers received their salaries, and the remaining files are expected to be cleared soon,” an official said.
The Municipal Mazdoor Union has also taken up the issue. In a letter to the hospital dean, union general secretary Pradeep Narkar pointed out that the Rs 5,000 Diwali bonus announced by the chief minister for all daily wage, multi-purpose, and other municipal employees was also pending. “Almost six months passed since Diwali, and the bonus has still not been disbursed,” Narkar said.
If dues are not cleared within the week, the union plans a peaceful “Gandhigiri protest” on Tuesday, where workers will present roses at the dean’s office.