Ambulance workers protest, demand minimum wages

The 108 and 102 Ambulance Workers Union associated with the Centre of Indian Trade Union (CITU) staged a protest outside the office of the National Health Mission (NHM) at Kasumpti here today in support of its demand for minimum wages to workers, as prescribed by the government.

Hundreds of ambulance workers raised demands such as doubling overtime payment for 12-hour shifts, ensuring all statutory leave benefits to ensure that wages were not deducted during vehicle maintenance or insurance period and the implementation of the orders of Himachal Pradesh High Court, Labour Court, CJM Court, Shimla, and the Labour Department regarding minimum wages.

Vijender Mehra, state president of CITU, said, “Hundreds of pilots, captains and EMT employees working under the Medswan Foundation in the NHM are being exploited for a very long time. These workers are not even paid the minimum wages prescribed by the government. Besides, they are also made to work in 12-hour shifts without being paid for overtime work. What’s surprising is that this exploitation is continuing despite the orders of the Himachal Pradesh High Court, Labour Court, CJM Court, Shimla, and the Labour Department.”

He said that workers were also being harassed mentally for raising their voice against their exploitation. “Union leaders are either transferred or pressured mentally to resign. Many workers are kept off duty for months without any reason and are also threatened and intimidated. Furthermore, they are also deprived of statutory leave. Besides, there are also serious irregularities in the implementation of the Employees’ Provident Fund (EPF) and the Empoyees’ State Insurance (ESI).

A delegation of the union met Pradeep Thakur, Managing Director (MD), NHM, after the protest and raised their demands with him. Thakur assured the workers that their demands would be considered. He also assured them that those, whose services were illegally terminated or who were transferred, would be reinstated immediately. It was also decided that a meeting between NHM officials and the union representatives as well as representatives of the Medswan Foundation would be held in Shimla on March 7 to address other demands of the workers.

Meanwhile, the ambulance workers warned the NHM that they would launch a mass movement if their demands were not met promptly.