Himachal Pradesh: Ambulance workers strike enters day 2, leaves patients in lurch

Shimla, Dec 27 (PTI) Patient mobility across the state was hit on Saturday due to ambulance workers' strike over minimum wage and labour laws.

The 108 and 102 Ambulance Workers' Union has been on a 48-hour strike under the banner of the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU).

In Shimla, the ambulance workers staged a protest outside the DC office, demanding the implementation of labour and minimum wage laws, and a stop to harassment of the workers.

CITU State President Vijender Mehra alleged that hundreds of pilots, captains and emergency medical technicians (EMTs) working under the Medswan Foundation, which operates the ambulance services under the National Health Mission (NHM), are facing severe exploitation for the past several years.

"They are forced to work a 12-hour shift without any overtime. This exploitation has been continuing for several years despite clear directions from the Himachal Pradesh High Court, the Labour Court, the CJM Court in Shimla, and the Labour Department," Mehra said in Shimla.

He alleged that workers who raised their voices against exploitation were mentally harassed.

"Union leaders are either transferred or forced to resign, while many workers are kept off duty for months without any valid reason. There are serious irregularities in the implementation of EPF and ESI, with both being deducted from employees, resulting in a loss of nearly Rs 2,000 per month per worker. The basic salary component is also extremely low, amounting to a gross violation of labour laws," he said.

The strikers have also demanded that cases against them be withdrawn.

The union has warned of a much larger strike in the coming days, if its demands are not met. PTI COR VN VN