SHILLONG, Oct 5 - The strike called by the Meghalaya Emergency Management and Research Institute Workers� Union (EMRI-WU) entered the sixth day today. The indefinite strike began on September 30, but there have been no negotiations to settle issues till date.
Roypar Kharraswai, president of Meghalaya EMRI-WU, said that there has been no communication from the EMRI management or the Government so far.
Informing that about 5,000 emergency calls are received at the emergency call centres in the State every day, he said that the ongoing strike called by the workers has crippled the 108 emergency service.
�We are fighting for our rights. The 108 ambulances have become useless and we are just managing with what we have. The ambulances are worn out, stretchers are out of order and there is lack of equipment,� Kharraswai said, adding that the State Government has also not kept the promises it made in 2017 about providing new ambulances and quarters for workers.
The Government allots Rs 1.47 lakh for maintenance of the EMRI ambulances every month, but still the ambulances are in a poor state.
Kharraswai said that the workers� demands include new ambulances and equipment, just leave policy, hike in salaries and wages, etc.
Informing that the GVK management had met the workers on October 1, assuring them of a 10 per cent increment from April on condition that they would not agitate in future, Kharraswai, however, said that the workers� demand for a hike dates back from 2017. The EMRI workers allege that they do not enjoy any proper facilities.
