Workers of the 104 and 108 ambulance companies issued a strike discover to Minister of Health, Family Welfare and Medical Education Vidadala Rajini and different officers of the Health Department on January 8 (Monday), demanding that the guarantees made by Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy to them earlier than the 2019 elections be fulfilled.

A.V. Nageswara Rao, president of the 108, 104 and Thalli Bidda Express Workers’ Union, affiliated to the Communist Party of India (Marxist), mentioned a typical demand throughout the three sections is that they be made a part of the Andhra Pradesh Corporation of Outsourced Services, a promise that the Chief Minister had made to the employees earlier than the 2019 elections.

“At present, they all come under a private owner (Aurobindo Emergency Medical Services). We are not asking for a pay hike or even regularisation of services. We are only demanding that those working in 108, 104 and Thalli Bidda Express be made part of APCOS, so that they have job security,” Mr. Nageswara Rao mentioned.

Recently, the State authorities introduced that there are requirement for the posts of Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs), who work in 108 ambulances. “They give first aid to a person involved in accidents and administer medicines too. Some of them have been working here for the last 18 years. They cleared no professional course, but came with specialised training. Since there is no relevant course in the State, the government is intent on recruiting people for the posts from other States. We demand that the posts be given to them,” Mr. Nageswara Rao mentioned.

He mentioned they’ve defined their points to the officers, and would go on a strike from January 24.