SHIMLA: Hundreds of employees working under the 108 and 102 ambulance services in Himachal Pradesh have launched a two-day statewide strike under the banner of the CITU-affiliated 108 and 102 Ambulance Employees Union, demanding implementation of labour laws and court orders, payment of minimum wages, and an end to alleged harassment, according to an official press release.
The 48-hour strike will continue until 8 pm on December 27, during which ambulance services across the state will remain disrupted entirely. The union has announced demonstrations at all district headquarters, as well as major protests outside the National Health Mission Managing Director’s office in Shimla and the Medswan Foundation headquarters in Dharampur, Solan, with hundreds of employees expected to participate, according to the press release.
CITU state president Vijender Mehra, general secretary Prem Gautam, union president Sunil Kumar, and general secretary Balak Ram alleged that hundreds of pilots, captains, and EMTs working under Medswan Foundation, the agency operating ambulance services under the National Health Mission, are facing severe exploitation. They claimed that employees are not being paid even the government-mandated minimum wage and are required to work 12-hour shifts without overtime pay.
The union leaders alleged that, despite repeated orders from the Himachal Pradesh High Court, the Labour Court, the CJM Court, Shimla, and the Labour Department, violations have persisted for years. They further alleged victimization of union leaders through transfers, mental harassment, forced resignations, denial of leave, and keeping employees off duty for months without justification. (ANI)
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