Strike hits 108 emergency services

HYDERABAD: The 108 emergency service was paralaysed to a great extent in the state on Saturday after 3,800 employees went on strike demanding better wages and regularization of their jobs.
Agitating employees, who comprise ambulance drivers and paramedical staff, said they started boycotting work from July 18 midnight and on Saturday, employees in Hyderabad and Rangareddy too joined the stir.The employees maintained that they were getting paid Rs 7,500 per month for the 12-hour shift.
They demanded that the Emergency Management and Research Institute (EMRI), that is operating the service on behalf of the state government, increase their salaries to Rs 15,000 per month. They burnt effigies of the state government and GVK EMRI and have planned rallies throughout the state on Sunday. "We are ready for talks but the state government is adamant. Public is made to suffer due to this attitude of the government," said U Appi Reddy, president, 108 Services Contract Employees Union.
The 108 service covers about 3,200 emergencies in the state normally on a given day.
However, principal secretary, health, Ajay Sawhney told TOI that alternative arrangements have been made. "There is a problem in some districts because employees damaged vehicles before going on strike. Out of the 752 vehicles, 479 are attending to the emergency services. The remaining 273 vehicles were damaged by the 108 staff participating in the strike," said Sawhney adding that all measures are being taken to restore normalcy. Stating that their demands were unjustified, Sawhney said the strike by the employees was declared illegal by the labour department on Saturday.