Employees of 104 MMU launch protest in Visakhapatnam; threaten to intensify stir if demands not met in 14 days

104 MMU employees strike for better conditions, demand government intervention for salary arrears and job security.

Employees of 104 MMU (Mobile Medical Unit) launched a strike at the Gandhi statue, near Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC), on Sunday (November 10, 2024), demanding a solution to their woes. The participants said they have been serving in the 104 MMUs, which are operated by Andhra Pradesh Government.

During the previous YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) government, the MMU services were brought under the control of Aurobindo Emergency Management Services (AEMS) about four-and-a-half years ago. They said that since then they had been facing problems and their conditions were worse compared to ‘outsourcing’ and ‘contract’ employees in other organisations.

Repeated reminders to the government for a solution to their woes, went unheeded. The participants reminded that the State Government, being their principal employer, has the responsibility to take up the issue with the Aurobindo management and settle the issue. “We will submit a letter to the government and continue our protests for 14 days. If the government fails to come up with a solution, we will intensify our struggle,” P. Mani, honorary president and B. Tatababu, president of Andhra Pradesh 104 MMU Employees Union, affiliated to CITU, said.

The main demands of the MMU staff include: the 104 MMU service should be operated by the government, through Primary Health Centres (PHCs) as in the past, immediate payment of three months salary arrears, which were not paid by Aurobindo, ensuring job security to Data Entry Operators and Drivers, who joined duties after 2020, payment of arrears of increment, which have not been paid for the past three years and payment of PF and ESI arrears, including the management share.