Karnataka plans backup drivers and nurses to keep 108 ambulances running during strike
Karnataka's health department says it will mobilise its own drivers and nursing staff to keep 108 Arogya Kavacha ambulances running if employees strike.
The Karnataka government has started contingency measures to keep the 108 Arogya Kavacha emergency ambulance service running despite a proposed employee strike, according to The New Indian Express.
In a clarification issued on Friday, the Department of Health and Family Welfare said it would mobilise drivers and nursing staff working under the department and engage additional qualified personnel through district-level agencies where necessary. The department said the service provider, EMRI Green Health Services (EMRI GHS), had not put adequate alternative arrangements in place.
What the unions are asking for
The strike call comes from three unions representing emergency medical technicians (EMTs) and ambulance pilots. Their demands include:
- 12-hour shifts instead of the current eight-hour duty schedule
- Zone-I wage rates for employees in all zones
- Revised shift timings
- Annual increments based on seniority
- Resting facilities at government hospitals during non-duty hours
Government's position
The government said its agreement with EMRI GHS, in place since 2008, makes the provider responsible for recruitment, deployment and personnel management. Wages, working hours and other employment benefits therefore fall within the company's purview, it said. The department added that it had directed EMRI GHS on October 12 to comply with applicable requirements and keep services uninterrupted, warning that any disruption could invite stringent legal and penal action.
Why it matters for ambulance owners and drivers
The dispute shows how pay, shift length and contract responsibility between a government and a service provider can decide whether ambulances stay on the road.
Read the full report at the source: The New Indian Express
This is a summary written by the Ambulance Owner Association. The facts are from the source named above.