Contract health employees in Andhra Pradesh have decided to pause their ongoing strike following discussions with government officials, and will resume duties on October 11.
Strike began over pay and regularisation demands
The A.P. Medical and Health Contract Employees' Joint Action Committee had called for a boycott of duties from October 6, after its demands for regularisation of services and payment of gross salary went unmet despite several rounds of discussions with the government. The state's health department had earlier agreed to some non-financial requests, including ex gratia for families of contract staff who died in the line of duty during the pandemic and radiation leave for radiographers. But since the government maintained that the core demands — regularisation and gross salary — could not be granted given the state's financial situation, nurses and other contract staff went on strike.
Pause, not a withdrawal
On Saturday, October 10, the JAC members were called for a discussion with health officials, including Commissioner K.V.N. Chakradhar Babu. The committee also demanded a 30% incentive based on the existing basic pay of contract employees, and officials indicated a special committee would examine that demand. Considering the positive response, the JAC decided to temporarily call off the strike — stressing it had not withdrawn its major demands and that the decision only gave the government an opportunity to resolve the issues through discussions.
Sources:
- Contract health staff in Andhra Pradesh pause their strike after discussion with officials — The Hindu, October 11, 2026
Strike began over pay and regularisation demands
The A.P. Medical and Health Contract Employees' Joint Action Committee had called for a boycott of duties from October 6, after its demands for regularisation of services and payment of gross salary went unmet despite several rounds of discussions with the government. The state's health department had earlier agreed to some non-financial requests, including ex gratia for families of contract staff who died in the line of duty during the pandemic and radiation leave for radiographers. But since the government maintained that the core demands — regularisation and gross salary — could not be granted given the state's financial situation, nurses and other contract staff went on strike.
Pause, not a withdrawal
On Saturday, October 10, the JAC members were called for a discussion with health officials, including Commissioner K.V.N. Chakradhar Babu. The committee also demanded a 30% incentive based on the existing basic pay of contract employees, and officials indicated a special committee would examine that demand. Considering the positive response, the JAC decided to temporarily call off the strike — stressing it had not withdrawn its major demands and that the decision only gave the government an opportunity to resolve the issues through discussions.
Sources:
- Contract health staff in Andhra Pradesh pause their strike after discussion with officials — The Hindu, October 11, 2026
