THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The conciliatory talks between the United Nurses Association (UNA) and the management of the KVM Hospital at Cherthala in Alappuzha failed with the management stating the sacked nurses will not be taken back. The talks were held in the presence of Labour Minister T P Ramakrishnan and other officials.
In the discussion, representatives of the UNA put forth their demands, including implementation of the minimum wages and also taking back the nurses who are sacked. However, the hospital management said they are not in a position to take back the agitating nurses. Meanwhile, UNA announced its state secretary Sujanapal will begin a hunger strike in front of the hospital from Friday. They said they would intensify the agitation in the coming days.
According to the UNA leaders, the hospital has not been paying even the minimum wages announced in 2013. They also said the nurses are made to work even ten hours during day shifts and sometimes 14 hours on nights. They also said nurses were not given PF, ESI and other benefits.