Karnataka 108 ambulance crew return to duty after talks, but 22 October protest stays
Karnataka's 108 drivers and EMTs ended their strike threat after meeting the health secretary, but their 22 October Freedom Park protest remains on.
Drivers and Emergency Medical Technicians of Karnataka's 108 ambulance service have returned to duty after threatening an indefinite strike, Deccan Herald reported. The decision followed a Wednesday meeting between members of the Suvarna Karnataka Arogya Kavacha (108) Employees Association and the Karnataka State Arogya Kavacha (108) Ambulance Employees Association and the state's Principal Secretary of Health and Family Welfare, Rithwik Ranjanam Pandey.
The protest planned for 22 October at Freedom Park is still on. According to the original plan, 3,200 members were to go off duty.
Pandey said the demands would be conveyed to the government and asked for a week to address some of them. He said a new tender, pending since 2023, is planned soon, as the current one was called in 2018 and a new one is normally called every five years.
The crew has demanded annual increments, as salaries have been unchanged for eight years, a shift system, Rs 50 lakh compensation for drivers who die on duty, seniority-based increments, salary credit before the seventh of each month and basic amenities at work locations. General Secretary Girish T S said the association is hopeful, but will go ahead on 22 October if talks fail.
Why it matters for ambulance owners and drivers
- A new 108 tender is expected, which could affect how the service is run.
- Pay, shifts and timely salary remain the key open demands.
Read the full report at the source: Deccan Herald
This is a summary written by the Ambulance Owner Association. The facts are from the source named above.