Himachal’s Ambulance Workers Strike: “We Run Emergency Services, Yet We Live in Emergency Conditions”

Web desk

Published on May 28, 2025, 09:39 PM | 3 min read

Himachal Pradesh: Ambulance workers across Himachal Pradesh launched a 24-hour strike on Tuesday night, halting the 102 and 108 emergency services to demand what is rightfully theirs: dignity, wages, and justice.

The strike, led by the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU), has brought to light the deep rot within the system that keeps public health services running on the backs of overworked and underpaid employees. These workers—often hailed as “frontline heroes” during health crises—say they are being subjected to exploitation and neglect under the watch of the very authorities that claim to serve the public.

CITU has squarely blamed the Med Swan Foundation, the private operator contracted under the National Health Mission (NHM), for repeated violations of labour rights. From non-payment of minimum wages to the denial of overtime pay despite 12-hour shifts, the accusations reflect the grim reality of contractual employment in India's healthcare delivery.

Massive demonstrations took place across Shimla, Hamirpur, and other districts, where workers marched with red flags, raised fiery slogans, and demanded an end to what they called "corporate cruelty in public health."

“Despite court orders and government policies, workers continue to be denied even the most basic entitlements. No overtime, no paid holidays, no job security. And when they speak up, they are punished with suspensions and harassment,” said Samit Kumar, CITU’s state vice president. He condemned the Medswan Foundation for ignoring legal obligations and called out the state health department for its silence.

The workers have raised several long standing demands: immediate payment of minimum wages as per government norms, double pay for overtime, protection of wages during vehicle breakdowns or repairs, and insurance for both employees and vehicles. These are not radical demands, the union insists—they are the bare minimum expected from a humane and lawful employment setup.

A meeting between union representatives, the NHM Managing Director, and Medswan Foundation officials ended in a stalemate, with no concrete promises made. Angered by the inaction, demonstrators also gathered outside the NHM office and the private company’s state headquarters, declaring that the strike was only the beginning.

“Health workers are the backbone of the emergency system. But here, they are treated as disposable tools. This is not just a labour issue—it is a political issue, a class issue. We will not step back,” Kumar said, warning that the agitation would intensify if the government and its private allies continued to ignore the workers' plight.