EMRI impasse continues

SHILLONG: The employees’ union of the GVK-EMRI ambulance service has questioned the reported promulgation of the Essential Services Maintenance Act by the Meghalaya government in respect of a private entity and alleged that the GVK management was trying to intimidate the workers.
The Meghalaya EMRI Workers’ Union released a statement on Sunday quoted media reports saying the state has promulgated the Meghalaya Essential Services Maintenance Act, 1980, (as amended)… dated March 1 with immediate effect prohibiting the field staff of GVK EMRI from disrupting services. The union had given a call for strike after the management failed to fulfil the employees’ demands.The union said it did not have an official intimation on the order but questioned whether legally a private body like GVK-EMRI can be brought under the provisions of the act.
“The press release of the management can be viewed as yet another unfair labour practice on the part of GVK-EMRI management to silence and intimidate the union and workers,” it added.
“It is indeed unfortunate that management is wilfully misleading the public and the government that ‘there have been several discussions between the field staff and the management’ (and the) union strongly disputes this statement. The management till date has not called for a single discussion or replied to the charter of demands submitted by the union,” said Roypar Raswai, president of the union. The union has been demanding not only better working conditions for the workers but also overall improved services of 108 emergency.