Guwahati: The All Assam 108 Mrityunjoy Employees Association, on strike since September 5, on Friday expressed its willingness to negotiate the amount of increment due to the employees but alleged that GVK EMRI, the company operating 108 and 102 ambulance services in the state, was shying away from making any commitment.

The protesters laid siege to the company's offices on the tenth day of the strike but no communication was forthcoming to resolve the issue.

Association joint secretary Pranjal Sarmah said, "We are willing to negotiate the amount of increment due to us but we are being offered one-fourth of what the company owes us as increment for the last two years, which is not acceptable to the employees. Moreover, the GVK management has not communicated any date for holding discussions. We got regular increments for four to five years prior to 2015-16. The company has collected the amount from the government but not passed it on to us."

The association also alleged "lackadaisical attitude" on part of the National Health Mission and the health department, under which the company operates. "The government has failed to address the employees' issues. We have submitted memoranda to the authorities about the autocratic attitude of the company management. The company has been making us work for 12 hours daily, instead of the mandatory eight hours," Sarmah added.

Assam health minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had announced a hands-off policy on Thursday, saying it was a matter between the employees and the GVK EMRI.

The strike has affected the flow of patients to the Gauhati Medical College and Hospital but hospital superintendent Ramen Talukdar said the number of patients in the casualty department had increased. "The 108 ambulance strike has not affected the number of patients being registered in the casualty department. The number of patients was 324 before the strike on September 1 The number increased to 330 on September 8, after the strike came into effect," he said.

Private ambulance operators begged to differ. The secretary of the All Assam Private Ambulance Service at GMCH, Bipul Barua said, "The number of patients seeking our services has dropped. We are hired to take back patients who came here on 108 and 102 services. Patients from outside the city are being forced to come here in private cars, hired vehicles or private ambulances. Some patients are transferred from other hospitals in government ambulances. Accident victims are also being taken to the nearest nursing home instead of being brought here."