Meghalaya: EMRI strike enters sixth day, no end in sight

Newmai News Network

Shillong | October 5

 

The strike called by the Meghalaya Emergency Management and Research Institute Workers’ Union (EMRI-WU) has entered the 6th day on Saturday. The indefinite strike began on September 30 but there have been no negotiations as yet till date.

 

 

Speaking to this correspondent over the phone, Roypar Kharraswai, president of Meghalaya EMRIWU, said that there have been no negotiations as yet till date nor has there been any communication from the management neither the government side.

 

Informing that everyday about 5000 emergency calls come to the emergency call centers in the whole of Meghalaya, he said that the ongoing strike called by the workers has badly affected those in need of the 108 emergency services.

 

“We are not here protesting to hurt the sentiments of the people, but as breadwinners, we are fighting for our rights. The ambulances provided have become useless and we are just managing with what we have. The conditions of the ambulances are rusted, stretchers don’t work, no proper latches, no proper equipment, there is a need for new ambulances,” he said, adding that the  state government has also not kept its promises it made in 2017 of  providing them with new ambulances including accommodation (Quarters) for the workers.

 

The government is allotting Rs 1.47 lakh for maintenance of the EMRI  ambulances per month but the fact is that the ambulances are so bad in condition.

 

He then said that the demands consisted of 36 demands to list a few- the need for new ambulances and equipment, leave policy to be fair and just, salaries and wages, posting and transfer, protocol, interdepartmental promotion among others.

 

Kharraswai further informed that the GVK EMRI will not face any loss because the employees’ salaries are deducted like the last protest that the employees carried out without any uniformity or clarity on why their salaries were deducted.

 

Informing that the GVK management had also met the employees on October 1, 2019 assuring them a 10 percent increment from April 2019 on the condition that they will not agitate in the future, he, however, said that the workers' demand for the increment is from 2017.

 

It may be noted that the EMRI employees have alleged that they are disregarded, with no proper facilities.