Women contract workers of National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) raised their voice against applying double standards in granting maternity leaves to women employees working for the programme. The contract workers were protesting outside Raj Bhavan on May 29.
“How the maternity right of a contract employee can be less justified than a permanent employeeIJ” questioned Renu a contract employee and said, “you can’t discriminate between the ordeals of two women yet there is discrimination in awarding leave and other relief.”
According to provision of the NRHM, the Auxiliary Nurse Midwives (ANM) is entitled for one month of paid maternity leave in addition to 16 days of leave under different categories. On the contrary, a regular nurse is entitled for six months of paid maternity leave.
“We lose pay for the number of days we extend our leave. We help in spreading awareness and help in other maternity related works but we have been deprived of our basic right” added Vineeta, an ANM who came from Jamshedpur.
The ANMs are of the view that a 90 day of paid maternity leave is more justified than the prevailing norm. “A women need to recuperate before joining work so ideally a 3 month’s leave would be sufficient,” added Vineeta.
The other demands of NRHM contract workers included life insurance cover, group insurance, medical facilities, employment for minimum term of 2 years, 10 percent increase in annual payment and regularisation of their work. “We are always reminded that we may lose our job if regular employee lodges complain against us,” said State president, NRHM Rahul Pratap Singh.