Ambulance workers protest over low wages, harassment

Ambulance workers under the Himachal Pradesh 108 and 102 Ambulance Workers Union, affiliated with the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU), staged a protest on Saturday outside the office of the Managing Director of the National Health Mission (NHM), demanding the payment of minimum wages and an end to alleged mental harassment.

During the demonstration, workers raised slogans against the NHM and put forward a range of demands, including double overtime pay for 12-hour shifts, enforcement of minimum wage orders issued by the High Court, Labour Court and Labour Department and provision of proper leave entitlements.

The CITU state president, Vijender Mehra, alleged ambulance workers are being exploited. “These employees are not even paid the government-mandated minimum wage. Despite working 12-hour shifts, they are not compensated with overtime pay. This continues despite clear directives from the Himachal Pradesh High Court, Labour Court, District Court and the Labour Department,” he said.

Mehra claimed when workers attempt to raise their concerns through the union, they face mental harassment. “Union leaders are either transferred or coerced into resigning. Some employees are kept off duty for months without explanation, intimidated and denied appropriate leave. There are also serious discrepancies in the implementation of EPF and ESI and the basic wage component is significantly inadequate. Almost all labour laws are being openly flouted,” he added.

Following the protest, the union submitted a 12-point demand letter to the NHM managing director and warned if their demands were not addressed, they would intensify their agitation, potentially halting ambulance services across the state.

The NHM managing director assured the workers their concerns would be considered seriously and efforts would be made to fulfil their demands as soon as possible.