Shillong, Oct 29: Division among the workers of GVK Emergency Management and Research Institute (GVK EMRI) has surfaced with a group of workers deciding not to join the indefinite hunger strike and appealed to the agitating workers to put off their ongoing protest.

The group of workers feared that by continuing with the agitation, there is a risk that they would lose their job.

The appeal from the faction of GVK EMRI workers came a day after over 200 employees under the banner of the Meghalaya Emergency Management and Research Institute Workers’ Union (MEMRIWU) started their agitation by staging an indefinite hunger strike on Tuesday.

Speaking to media persons on Tuesday, one of the non-union members, Wanlam Wahlang said, “We urge our fellow colleagues, who are protesting, to consider calling off their agitation and resolve all differences with the management of the institute. We are not against the demands of the Union, but if this stalemate continues, we fear that all the employees would lose their jobs since the emergency services in the state have been disrupted for the past one month.”

The workers also urged the management of GVK EMRI to call the agitating staff for talks and resolve this issue once and for all so that the emergency services can resume at the earliest in the interest of the general public.

According to Wahlang, around 125 workers did not join the agitation called by the Union.

The agitating staffs are at loggerhead with the management over the non-fulfillment of the 36-point charter of demands which include enhancement of salary, increasing the number of ambulances and man power and others.

They also asked the state government to terminate the contract with the GVK EMRI and the government should take over the emergency services.