Karnataka ambulance staff plan strike demanding overdue salary hikes

Drivers and emergency medical technicians of Karnataka’s 108 Arogya Kavacha ambulance service announced plans to cease operations from Wednesday night, demanding an annual salary increase that has not been implemented since 2017. Union representatives, including Paramshiva, claim that previous protest negotiations resulted in promises that the government later reneged on. The two employee associations had earlier given the Health Minister and the department’s Principal Secretary a 15-day deadline to address grievances, warning of mass resignations.

With roughly 3,200 staff members poised to strike, the state’s primary free emergency transport could be crippled, prompting officials to urge citizens to seek other options. Health Minister Khader described the protest as blackmail and warned of repercussions for the contractor GVK EMRI if patient care is jeopardized. The department has rejected a proposal totaling ₹174 crore that would cover the demanded increments.