KOCHI: The Kerala High Court has directed the police to ensure smooth functioning of private hospitals which approached the court in the wake of the strike by nurses associations. The court issued the interim order on a batch of petitions filed by private hospitals, seeking police protection and to declare hospital service as an essential service.
The hospitals argued the minimum wages committee constituted by the state was in the process of finalising the minimum wages for private hospital employees in the state. The president of United Nurses’ Association (UNA) is also a member of the committee.
No consensus has been reached in the meeting, and on the very next day of the meeting, UNA issued notice of indefinite strike and it started the agitation on June 29. The court made it clear the interim order would not stand in the way of the talks held by the government and the association.
Nurses to continue stir
The Indian Nurses Association (INA) and the United Nurses Association (UNA), spearheading an agitation for wage revision, on Tuesday met Labour Minister T P Ramakrishnan and made it clear they stand by their demands. Meanwhile, Ramakrishnan said steps will be taken immediately for a wage revision as per the rules. The Industrial Relations Committee entrusted with wage revision will meet on July 10.He also said the government is for a consensus between the hospital managements and the nurses associations.