Ambulance staff strike declared illegal

Citing an earlier order in this regard that any strike in the course of conciliation proceedings was per se illegal, a division bench comprising Justice S Manikumar and Justice Subramonium Prasad said, “Both the associations have issued strike notices contrary to the statutory provisions, Government Order and the orders of this court and hence the prayer sought for seeking to declare the strike as illegal is granted.”

It directed both associations to pay Rs 5,000 each to the petitioner within 10 days, and asked the Madurai Collector to take action as per the provisions of Tamil Nadu Revenue Recovery Act, 1864, and closed the miscellaneous petition.

The petitioner, P Selvarajan, had moved the plea seeking to declare as illegal the proposed indefinite strike to be conducted by the 108 Ambulance Workers Union Tamil Nadu, Madurai, and 108 Ambulance Workers Welfare Union Tamil Nadu, Madurai, from 8 pm on November 5 to 8 pm on November 6, and the indefinite strike thereafter.

He had contended that GVK Emergency Management and Research Institute (GVK EMRI), who is the provider of emergency ambulance services (108 Ambulance service), was operating 930 ambulances and 41 bike ambulances in all 32 districts in the State and employed more than 4,750 persons. They have providing the service in Tamil Nadu since 2008, and it has been declared as a public utility under Section 2 (n) of the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947, by the State government.

But every year, during Deepavali day, both the associations have issued strike notices to pressurise the authorities to meet their demands. They have proposed to go on strike this year as well, which should be prevented, the plea added.