Ambulance workers affiliated with the Himachal Pradesh 108 and 102 Ambulance Employees Union, under the banner of Centre of Indian Trade Union (CITU) on Saturday, called off their five-day strike and sat for a protest in Shimla by organising a rally, raising their demand for the abolishment of four new labour codes introduced by the Centre.
The rally commenced from the Himachal Pradesh State Secretariat in Chotta Shimla to the office of the National Health Mission in Kasumpti, followed by a two-hour long protest.
After the protest, a delegation of union representatives met the Deputy Director of NHM, who assured them that a meeting involving the union, NHM, and Medswan Foundation management would be held within a week to resolve their demands.
He also said efforts would be made to reinstate transferred and dismissed employees and to stop harassment of workers during the strike.
Addressing the gathering, CITU State President Vijender Mehra said hundreds of pilots, captains, and EMT staff working under Medswan Foundation, are being exploited for a very long time.
He alleged the employees are being deprived of government declared minimum wages while being forced to work 12-hour shifts, without being paid any overtime wages.
He said the union demanded minimum wages as per government norms, double overtime wages for 12-hour duty shifts, and all entitled leaves.
He also added the workers demanded that their wages should not be deducted during vehicle maintenance or insurance periods.