GUWAHATI, Sept 6 - Even as emergency medical services across the State remain paralysed due to the indefinite strike of the GVK EMRI staff, the management of the company today termed the strike as illegal.
�In spite of all efforts of the management and satisfying all demands like payment of leave encashment, salary increase, etc., the All Assam Mrityunjoy 108 Employees Association members have turned down the proposal and went for strike from September 4-5 midnight. The employees association forcibly disturbed emergency services to common people of Assam. We are taking some contingency actions to restore services,� said Sanjay Jha, vice president of GVK EMRI.
He said that the GVK EMRI management has already released privilege leave encashment amount with the salary of July 2018 to all its eligible employees.
�The management has also been regularly enhancing salary since 2009 and in recent years like 2014, 2015 and in January 2017 with effect from April 2016 also. We have announced salary enhancement from July 2018 along with payment of arrear with the salary of September 2018. This offer was extended till today if they (the employees) resume operation,� Jha said.
He alleged that the union members have also kept ambulance keys, mobile phones and fuel card with them. �These are public properties and the government and local administration are helping to recover these items,� he said.
�We have deployed 235 Adoroni vehicles across all the districts of Assam. The district administration are also extending support by providing ambulances, drivers and paramedics. We have recruited 30 emergency response officers (EROs) yesterday and will be recruiting more today and tomorrow. We have placed 78 pilots and emergency medical technicians (EMT) in operation and they will resume duty today. Hiring process for EMT and pilots has been initiated and will be completed soon. The employees body is threatening our operation team and trying to disturb our operation,� Jha said.
He said that as the entire matter is under conciliation with the Labour Office and the Labour Commissioner, the strike carried out by the employees union is illegal.
