‘Denied basic labour rights’: 108 ambulance staff protests against Punjab govt

The association’s vice-president, Arvind Chauhan, said a seven-member delegation of the union met the director and managing director of PHSC and placed their demands before them. “During the meeting, two of our demands were accepted on the spot — timely payment of salaries and provision of insurance cover,” Chauhan said.

The employees highlighted that they are being made to work 12-hour shifts instead of the prescribed eight hours, which is a clear violation of Punjab Labour Department rules. “Even then, no overtime is paid for the additional four hours. This is sheer injustice to emergency service workers,” an employee said.

The staff further stated that the Health Minister had earlier assured them that their demands would be addressed and salary revisions would be incorporated in the new tender proposed in January 2026. However, they alleged that no follow-up meeting was held and no concrete action was taken, despite repeated efforts at dialogue.

The union reiterated its eight major demands, including raising salaries to Rs 40,000–Rs 45,000 on the pattern of Haryana, enforcing 8-hour duty or overtime payment, providing minimum Rs 50-lakh insurance cover, direct salary payment from the government treasury, annual increments, salary by the 5th of every month, bringing employees under the Health Department, and granting experience-based weightage in government recruitment as practiced in Rajasthan.

The association’s president said officials assured them that the remaining demands would be discussed soon with the Health Minister and Principal Secretary, and that the upcoming tender would be suitably amended. “If our legitimate demands are not addressed promptly, the agitation will be intensified. Any disruption in ambulance services will be the responsibility of the government and the concerned private company,” he warned.