KOCHI: The Kerala Private Hospitals Association (KPHA) on Tuesday responded to the nurses’ strike, calling it legally invalid and a violation of established protocols.
“The strike is unjust because what started as a one-day strike bypassed the agreed-upon 14-day notice period and turned into an indefinite one without proper warning. By providing a notice without the mandated notice period, the United Nurses Association has disregarded these legal requirements, making their current agitation unauthorised. Legal strikes with proper notice are acceptable, but this strike was initiated without notice, so it is illegal,” said Anvar Mohammed Ali, the secretary of KPHA.
Under the Labour Acts and Labour Codes, which are currently in force, a 14-day notice period is mandated for a strike in any industrial or service sector. Following the 2012-13 nursing strikes, it was explicitly mandated that strikes in the healthcare sector must be preceded by a minimum 14-day notice period.
According to the association, minimum wages within the state are determined by the government through a formal evaluation process and then announced following the evaluation process, as opposed to informal negotiation through the marketplace. “At present, this process is taking place, which began with an initial announcement of a draft notification that was published on March 6, 2026.
The wage structure currently implemented in Kerala continues to be applicable until the comment period has concluded and the final notice has been issued,” he said, adding that it is unlawful for either party to change the wage structure during the ongoing process defined by law, and thus industrial action will not be tolerated.
The association also expressed concerns over the motive behind the strike and stated that there are strong indications that these strikes are being arranged by outside groups from beyond Kerala, targeting smaller Kerala-based hospitals and facilitating their eventual takeover.