The entire fleet of 39 EMRI 108 ambulances in Krishna district came to a halt with the emergency medical technicians (EMTs) and pilots (drivers) going on strike on Wednesday.
The agitation of the Emergency Management and Research Institute (EMRI) staff, demanding the State government to take over the ambulance service, which began on Tuesday with a few ambulances not being operated, intensified on Wednesday with all the vehicles stopping their services. The agitating staff brought the vehicles to the Rotary-Red Cross Blood Bank and left them there.
Representatives of the Krishna District 108 Employees Association told The Hindu that they would continue the strike until the State government conceded their charter of demands. Top on the list was the demand that the government should take over the 108 ambulance service and give EMRI employees government scales.
The working hours of the EMTs and pilots should be reduced from the current 12 to eight hours and their salaries should be paid as per Government Order number 3. Employees who work on festival days should either be paid overtime or granted compensatory leave. A proper transfer policy should be implemented and safety provided to EMRI employees who were being frequently attacked and proper shelter provided to the vehicles. Replacement of old vehicles was also one of the demands.
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