Emergency Ambulance Services hits in Assam affected due to indefinite strike of employees under GVK (EMRI).
Guwahati
The indefinite strike since last seven days launched by the staffers of 108 and 102 ambulance services employed by GVK (EMRI) is continued on Wednesday without a respond from the state government as well as the GVK (EMRI) authority. Contrary, the employees too have adopted a non-compromising attitude on their strike.
The employees, under the banner of the ‘All Assam 108 Mrityunjoy Employees Association’ has started their indefinite strike to protest non-compliance with labour laws by the company, non-payment of annual increment dues from 2015- 16 and extended hours of work.
Stating that there should be six staffs in an ambulance to deliver service as was stated by the then health minister, the employees’ association said, “There used to be only four staffers in an ambulance to deliver emergency services instead of the recommended six staffers. Therefore, we were forced to work for 12 hours a day, instead of the eight hours mandated by labour laws due to lack of staffers.”
Meanwhile in the absence of 102 and 108 ambulances, people are now reaching out to private vehicles from private hospitals and nursing homes.
A total of 695 ambulances (including 102 and 108) managed by GVK-EMRI were operational in Assam before the strike.
Close to 3000 staff of the 108 and 102 ambulance services of the state went on an indefinite strike from September 4 affecting medical emergency services across the city as well as the state.
Their major demands included an increment in their salary, leave encashment, reducing their shift duty from 12 hours to 8 hours and implementation of the rules of the labour law.
