{
  "id": 6952475,
  "title": "Murali wants ESMA invoked to stop ambulance workers strike",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/12/murali-wants-esma-invoked-to-stop-ambulance-workers-strike",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-12T16:37:44.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Hindu",
    "slug": "the-hindu",
    "url": "https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/murali-wants-esma-invoked-to-stop-ambulance-workers-strike/article71460789.ece"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Health Minister K. Muraleedharan has requested Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala to invoke the Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA) in order to prevent ambulance workers' strikes that would disrupt the functioning of 108 ambulance services in Kerala. This request comes after the ambulance workers' union announced a 24-hour strike, set to take place from September 17, 8 a.m. to September 18, 8 a.m. The government has decided to take stringent action due to various protests causing hardship for patients, as stated in a government statement. The letter from Muraleedharan seeks steps to prevent strikes and ensure the smooth operation of ambulance services. The Kerala State 108 Ambulance Employees Union announced the strike due to a dispute over bonuses for the 2025-26 year. The round-the-clock 108 ambulance service is a critical component of the emergency health system, transporting people in accidents, serious illnesses, and emergency childbirths to hospitals. Disruption of ambulance services due to the strike would cause patients difficulty and any delay in treatment could be life-threatening, leading the Health department to treat the matter as more than a labor dispute. EMRI-GHS has directed ambulance services to stop refusing or boycotting any trips, including inter-facility transfers, but some personnel have been denying trips after formal appeal letters and show-cause letters. Administrative grievances or labor disputes should not be used to paralyze emergency healthcare, according to an EMRI-GHS communication to staff.",
  "summary": "Health Minister writes to Home Minister seeking steps to prevent strikes and ensure smooth operation of ambulance services. The Kerala State 108 Ambulance Employees Union has announced a 24-hour strike from 8 a.m. on September 17.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}