ASHA workers conclude 265-day strike, agitation to continue at district level
Follow TNM's WhatsApp channel for news updates and story links.After 265 days of continuous protest outside the Secretariat, Kerala’s Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs) end their indefinite sit-in strike on November 1, which marks the Kerala Formation Day. The strike concluded with a symbolic rally and a renewed resolve to continue the struggle at the district level.The rally was inaugurated by Leader of the Opposition VD Satheesan in Thiruvananthapuram, marking the conclusion of the longest-running agitation of women health workers in the state. However, the Kerala ASHA Health Workers Association (KAHWA) said the fight is far from over, as key demands for a monthly honorarium of Rs 21,000 and retirement benefits remain unmet.“This protest will not end here; it will spread to other parts of Kerala. The upcoming protests at the district and panchayat levels will be even more intense. Though the government has increased the remuneration by only Rs 33 per day, they have acknowledged the need for a hike. When the UDF government comes to power, this issue will be resolved in the very first cabinet meeting, that’s my promise,” VD Satheesan said.The decision to suspend the sit-in follows Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s announcement earlier this week of a Rs 1,000 hike in the monthly honorarium for ASHA workers, raising it from Rs 7,000 to Rs 8,000. While the government described this as a goodwill gesture, KAHWA leaders termed it a “partial victory” that falls short of their core demands.M A Bindu, state general secretary of KAHWA, said the hike was an acknowledgment that ASHA workers are underpaid, but criticised the government for failing to address their demands for social security and retirement benefits. “We will continue our campaign in the districts until the government ensures fair wages and retirement benefits,” she said.The ASHAs, who began their protest on February 10, have been demanding timely disbursal of payments and a lump-sum retirement benefit of Rs 5 lakh. The strike, which turned into a day-and-night sit-in, drew wide public support and became a symbol of grassroots women’s resistance in Kerala.
Follow TNM's WhatsApp channel for news updates and story links.
AFTER 265 days of continuous protest outside the Secretariat, Kerala’s Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs) end their indefinite sit-in strike on November 1, which marks the Kerala Formation Day.
The strike concluded with a symbolic rally and a renewed resolve to continue the struggle at the district level.
The rally was inaugurated by Leader of the Opposition VD Satheesan in Thiruvananthapuram, marking the conclusion of the longest-running agitation of women health workers in the state. However, the Kerala ASHA Health Workers Association (KAHWA) said the fight is far from over, as key demands for a monthly honorarium of Rs 21,000 and retirement benefits remain unmet.
“This protest will not end here; it will spread to other parts of Kerala. The upcoming protests at the district and panchayat levels will be even more intense. Though the government has increased the remuneration by only Rs 33 per day, they have acknowledged the need for a hike. When the UDF government comes to power, this issue will be resolved in the very first cabinet meeting, that’s my promise,” VD Satheesan said.
The decision to suspend the sit-in follows Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s announcement earlier this week of a Rs 1,000 hike in the monthly honorarium for ASHA workers, raising it from Rs 7,000 to Rs 8,000. While the government described this as a goodwill gesture, KAHWA leaders termed it a “partial victory” that falls short of their core demands.
M A Bindu, state general secretary of KAHWA, said the hike was an acknowledgment that ASHA workers are underpaid, but criticised the government for failing to address their demands for social security and retirement benefits.
“We will continue our campaign in the districts until the government ensures fair wages and retirement benefits,” she said.
The ASHAs, who began their protest on February 10, have been demanding timely disbursal of payments and a lump-sum retirement benefit of Rs 5 lakh. The strike, which turned into a day-and-night sit-in, drew wide public support and became a symbol of grassroots women’s resistance in Kerala.
