Contract Health Employees Warn of Phased Boycott if Government Fails to Address Demands

Vijayawada / Amaravati (AP): Contract employees serving in various cadres of the Andhra Pradesh Health Department have warned that they may launch a phased boycott of duties if the State Government fails to initiate talks and respond positively to their long-pending demands within the 45-day deadline set by the Joint Action Committee (JAC). The employees, who say they have been serving the public for nearly two decades, are demanding job security, improved wages and welfare benefits.

Twenty years of service, yet no job security

The JAC stated that contract employees across the Health Department have been serving continuously for nearly 20 years, playing a vital role in safeguarding public health. It pointed out that many employees continued to discharge their duties even during the COVID-19 pandemic, risking their lives despite lacking job security and adequate welfare benefits.

Representations yield no response

According to the association, numerous representations have been submitted over the years to the Chief Minister, ministers, elected representatives and senior government officials, seeking justice for contract employees. However, the JAC alleged that the government has remained unresponsive to their long-pending and legitimate demands.

State-level protest and 45-day ultimatum

As part of their agitation, thousands of contract health employees staged a state-level protest at Dharna Chowk in Vijayawada on June 17, 2026, demanding immediate government intervention.

Subsequently, on July 6, 2026, the JAC held a press conference announcing its five-point charter of demands and issued a 45-day deadline to the government for initiating discussions and resolving the issues.

Representations submitted to top health officials

The JAC said detailed representations outlining its demands were submitted to the Principal Secretary (Health), Director of Medical Education (DME), Director of Health, Andhra Pradesh Vaidya Vidhana Parishad (APVVP), and the Commissioner of Family Welfare. Despite these representations, the association claimed that neither a positive response nor an invitation for talks has been received.

Warning of phased boycott

The employee representatives cautioned that if the government fails to begin discussions and take a favourable decision within the stipulated period, contract health employees across the State may be compelled to withdraw from duties in a phased manner. They added that if the situation ultimately leads to a complete boycott of duties, the responsibility for any disruption to public health services would rest with the government.

Five key demands of JAC

The Joint Action Committee has sought:

Regularization of contract employees working across all cadres.
Implementation of 100% gross wages until regularization is completed.
₹50 lakh ex-gratia to the family of any contract employee who dies while on duty.
Medical leave benefits and health cards** for all contract employees.
Immediate implementation of mutual and request-based transfer facilities for contract employees in the Medical and Health Department.

Representations being submitted across districts

JAC leaders said district-level representatives are submitting memorandums to District Collectors and Medical Officers across Andhra Pradesh in support of the five demands. The statement was issued by G. Koteswara Rao, Chairman, and Ajay, Convener, of the AP Contract Staff Nurses & Allied Health Professionals Association.