BMC fails to pay salary to 209 nurses hired in April-May to fight COVID-19 pandemic

Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has not paid salary nor Rs 300 special daily allowance to 209 newly-hired nurses. These nurses were appointed to strengthen the fight against COVID-19 in the city, a labour union has said.

According to Municipal Mazdoor Union (MMU), BMC had hired these nurses under a special recruitment drive in April-May after the COVID-19 in Mumbai.

Municipal Mazdoor Union is one of the largest trade unions in the civic body which is spearheading Mumbai's COVID-19 fight. The nurses were promised Rs 300 per day special allowance. 

On the whole issue, a BMC health department official said salary disbursal got delayed due to the ongoing roster (appointment) verification process, but assured the nurses will be paid their wages soon.

In a letter written to municipal commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal on July 25, MMU demanded that these 209 newly- hired nurses be paid salary and allowances immediately.

The union also asked BMC to consider their appointments on vacant posts at BMC-run hospitals from the date they joined duty.

"Majority of the nurses were working in private hospitals and they left their jobs to join the BMC which needed their services on urgent basis. But now they haven;t received salary and allowances, making survival difficult for them," Pradeep Narkar, secretary, MMU said.

Dr Varsha Puri, an official in the BMC Health department, said, "The file (related to salary) has been already sent to another department (personnel)."Once the file is cleared, we will process it within a day and inform establishments (where nurses are to be posted) from where salary disbursal will start."