ESIC nursing officers begin black badge protest

Nursing officers working in Employees’ State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) hospitals have launched a democratic union agitation across the country against what they describe as illegal, arbitrary and large-scale compulsory transfers implemented under the Annual General Transfer (AGT)-2026.

As the first phase of the agitation, nursing officers will wear black badges while going on duty in all ESIC medical institutions, ESIC hospitals and dispensary and branch offices (DCBOs) across the country from July 16 to 18. The agitation was called by the All India ESIC Nursing Officers Federation (AIESICNOF). The protest will be observed in Kerala at ESIC Hospitals, Asramam (Kollam), Ezhukone (Kollam), Udyogamandal (Ernakulam) and ESIC DCBOs in Munnar and Thazhakkode.

The Federation claimed that the AGT-2026 transfer decisions were made in complete contradiction with the existing transfer policy, without transparent and objective criteria, and in violation of the principles of fairness, equality and natural justice. It further stated that the transfers were in violation of repeated assurances given by the Director General, ESIC and the Union Labor and Employment Minister that compulsory transfers in Nursing Cadre would not be implemented and transfers would be considered only on demand against existing vacancies.

The Federation sent a formal strike notice to the Union Minister of Labor and Employment and the Chairman of ESIC. If the problems are not resolved, the federation announced a nationwide mass paid leave on July 21, followed by an indefinite strike starting from July 22.