We Work 12 Hours, Can’t Feed Our Families : Himachal’s Ambulance Staffs

Hundreds of ambulance workers in Himachal Pradesh—those who rush to save lives every day—are now fighting for their own. Under the CITU-backed Himachal Pradesh 108 & 102 Ambulance Employees Union, they have been on a five-day strike. On the third day, even as rain poured down over Chhota Shimla, they refused to leave the government secretariat gates. Their demands? Simple justice: enforce labor laws, follow court orders, pay minimum wages, and stop the harassment.

For the third straight day, ambulance services across the state remained paralyzed. The union has made it clear—if their demands aren’t met soon, they will escalate their struggle.

At Shimla’s protest site, union leaders including CITU state president Vijender Mehra, general secretary Prem Gautam, treasurer Jagat Ram, vice president Sudesh Kumari, and union president Sunil Kumar along with general secretary Balk Ram didn’t hold back. They described how hundreds of pilots, captains, and EMTs working under Medswan Foundation—which operates under the National Health Mission—are being crushed by exploitation.

“These workers don’t even get the minimum wage the government itself announced,” they said. “They are forced to work 12-hour shifts, but overtime pay? Never. And this has been going on for years—despite clear orders from the Himachal Pradesh High Court, the Labor Court, the CJM Court in Shimla, and the Labor Office.”

When workers raise their voice through their union, they said, the retaliation is brutal. Union leaders are transferred, mentally tortured, and pushed to resign. Many are kept off duty for months—no reason given. They are threatened, denied proper leave, and cheated on EPF and ESI contributions. “Both shares of EPF are cut from the worker’s salary. They are being looted of ₹2,000 every single month. Their basic pay is shamefully low.”

Before Medswan Foundation, these same employees worked for GVK EMRI. When their jobs ended there, they never received retrenchment pay, gratuity, notice pay, or any arrears. “Two companies. Same story. Years of work. Zero dignity.”

The union’s demands are heartbreakingly basic:

· Pay minimum wage as per government rules.
· Pay double overtime for 12-hour shifts.
· Give all entitled leave without harassment.
· Stop wage cuts during vehicle maintenance or insurance downtime.
· Immediately enforce court and labor department orders on minimum wages.
· Stop torturing union leaders under the Trade Union Act and Industrial Disputes Act. Protect their rights under Articles 19 and 21 of the Constitution.
· Cancel all retaliatory transfers.
· Fix EPF and ESI fraud.
· Restore basic pay within total wages.
· Grant continuity of service and seniority to those who moved from GVK EMRI to Medswan.
· Pay all pending retrenchment benefits, gratuity, and notice pay from the GVK EMRI days.
· Clear all legal arrears of underpaid wages—from both employers.

“You can’t save lives when you can’t save your own,” one worker said, standing in the rain. “We’re not asking for charity. Just what the law already says we deserve.”