UDF Government Moves to Block Ambulance Workers’ Strike Over Bonus Payment

Thiruvananthapuram: The UDF government is moving to invoke the Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA) against 108 ambulance employees instead of resolving their dispute over bonus payments. The Kerala State 108 Ambulance Employees Union has announced a 24-hour strike from 8 am on September 17 to 8 am on September 18, demanding a settlement to the dispute over the bonus for 2025–26.

Rather than holding discussions with the employees and finding a solution to their demands, the government is attempting to suppress their protest. Health Minister K Muraleedharan has written to Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala seeking the invocation of ESMA to prevent the strike.

If ESMA is invoked, employees participating in the strike could face legal action, including arrest. The current dispute concerns the bonus payable to employees who work round the clock providing emergency ambulance services.

The government, however, has not clarified what steps it plans to take to resolve the bonus dispute. Instead, citing the possibility of disruption to emergency services, it has announced legal action against the proposed strike.

At the end of May, the management had moved to allegedly terminate drivers and medical technicians in violation of service rules. Employees launched a strong protest against the move, resulting in disruptions to 108 ambulance services in several parts of the state.

With the employees' labour-related grievances remaining unresolved in the following months, protests and agitations have been held several times. Concerns are now growing that emergency ambulance services could once again be disrupted across Keralam if the government fails to take urgent action on the employees' demands.

Meanwhile, the deployment of 335 new ambulances under the state's 108 service is also progressing. The new fleet comprises 315 standard life-saving ambulances, 14 ambulances equipped with ventilators and six specialised ambulances for newborns.

Even as the government expands the service, the problems faced by the employees operating it remain unresolved.