<p>Ambulance drivers, technicians/nurses and communication/despatch officers will participate in the strike under the banner of the Karnataka State Arogya Kavacha (108) Employee’s Union. <br /><br />Given that the ambulance service receives about 16,000 calls a day from across the State, the strike is expected to cause a lot of inconvenience, especially in rural areas.<br /><br />In the memorandum submitted to the chief minister, their demands include increase in salary on par with what government drivers and nurses draw, weekly offs, eight-hour shift and provident fund (PF) and ESI cards. <br /><br />Besides, they want the Government to treat them as government employees. The employees had struck work last year too demanding for a hike in their salary, following which their pay was increased marginally.<br /><br />“Everyone got a hike of Rs 1,000. But, the salary of drivers was a meagre Rs 5,700 and technician/nurse got only Rs 6,500 a month,” said an employee.<br /><br />The drivers, who work without weekly offs, are sometimes forced to work for 48 hours non-stop. “We don’t get weekly offs due to shortage of staff. No one wants to take up the job for such a low pay,” he said. <br /><br />Since November 2008, around 1,600 staff members have quit the ambulance service. A union member said that in some cases, the management had forced people to submit their resignation letters in advance.</p>.<p>They also alleged that the institute had not given the employees ESI or PF cards even though the money was deducted at source under these headings from their salary.<br /><br />The union has decided to go on strike since their letter listing their demands sent 20 days ago has failed to elicit any response from the management.<br /><br />D V Badrinath, chief operating officer, GVK EMRI, said they were surprised to learn about the strike from media reports.<br /><br />“We have no intimation about withdrawal of the service. In the event of any disturbance, we always have a standby arrangement,” he said. Badrinath said the strike may be initiated by some of the former employees or outsiders, trying to disrupt the emergency services.<br /><br />The union members alleged the EMRI management has threatened to terminate or arrest those who participate in the strike.<br /><br />CM’s appeal<br /><br />Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda has appealed to ambulance drivers to immediately withdraw their agitation.<br /><br /></p>
<p>Ambulance drivers, technicians/nurses and communication/despatch officers will participate in the strike under the banner of the Karnataka State Arogya Kavacha (108) Employee’s Union. <br /><br />Given that the ambulance service receives about 16,000 calls a day from across the State, the strike is expected to cause a lot of inconvenience, especially in rural areas.<br /><br />In the memorandum submitted to the chief minister, their demands include increase in salary on par with what government drivers and nurses draw, weekly offs, eight-hour shift and provident fund (PF) and ESI cards. <br /><br />Besides, they want the Government to treat them as government employees. The employees had struck work last year too demanding for a hike in their salary, following which their pay was increased marginally.<br /><br />“Everyone got a hike of Rs 1,000. But, the salary of drivers was a meagre Rs 5,700 and technician/nurse got only Rs 6,500 a month,” said an employee.<br /><br />The drivers, who work without weekly offs, are sometimes forced to work for 48 hours non-stop. “We don’t get weekly offs due to shortage of staff. No one wants to take up the job for such a low pay,” he said. <br /><br />Since November 2008, around 1,600 staff members have quit the ambulance service. A union member said that in some cases, the management had forced people to submit their resignation letters in advance.</p>.<p>They also alleged that the institute had not given the employees ESI or PF cards even though the money was deducted at source under these headings from their salary.<br /><br />The union has decided to go on strike since their letter listing their demands sent 20 days ago has failed to elicit any response from the management.<br /><br />D V Badrinath, chief operating officer, GVK EMRI, said they were surprised to learn about the strike from media reports.<br /><br />“We have no intimation about withdrawal of the service. In the event of any disturbance, we always have a standby arrangement,” he said. Badrinath said the strike may be initiated by some of the former employees or outsiders, trying to disrupt the emergency services.<br /><br />The union members alleged the EMRI management has threatened to terminate or arrest those who participate in the strike.<br /><br />CM’s appeal<br /><br />Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda has appealed to ambulance drivers to immediately withdraw their agitation.<br /><br /></p>
