1/5 Ajoy G. 6 years ago on Google • 243 reviews
Kerala:
Nurses’
threaten
indefinite
strike
Feb
16,
2018,
2:04
am
IST
Deccan
Chronicle.
Nation, Current
Affairs
24-hour
strike
hits
private
hospitals;
UNA
to
contest
Chengannur
bypoll.
Nurses
under
UNA
take
out
a
rally
on
the
National
Highway
in
front
of
KVM
hospital
Cherthala
on
Thursday.
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Patient
care
activities
in
private
and
cooperative
hospitals
were
affected
following
the
24-hour
strike
called
by
nearly
50,000
nurses
under
the
banner
of
United
Nurses
Association
(UNA)
on
Thursday.
The
striking
nurses
blocked
the
main
highway
in
Cherthala
for
several
hours.
The
main
demand
of
the
nurses
is
settlement
of
180
day
strike
of
nurses
in
KEM
Hospital
Cherthala
and
implementation
of
revised
wages
in
private
hospitals.
UNA
state
president
Jasminsha
said
UNA
would
launch
an
indefinite
strike
in
all
private
hospitals
if
the
government
failed
to
accept
their
demands.
He
said
the
UNA
would
also
field
a
candidate
in
the
forthcoming
Chengannur
by
poll
to
show
its
strength.
He
said
despite
such
a
large
number
of
nurses
being
on
strike,
the
UNA
has
ensured
that
emergency
services
are
not
affected.
“Many
of
our
members
are
carrying
out
emergency
duties.
However,
if
the
government
and
managements
continue
with
their
indifferent
attitude
towards
our
demands
then
we
will
be
forced
to
shed
our
humanitarian
approach,”
he
said.
The
UNA
leader
said
the
indefinite
fast
by
United
Nurses
Association
state
general
secretary
Sujana
Pal
at
Cherthala
had
entered
the
sixth
day
and
his
health
condition
was
worsening.
“Not
a
single
authority
has
come
to
us
so
far.
There
are
four
ministers
from
the
district,
there
is
an
MP,
MLAs
and
district
administration.
But
nobody
seems
to
be
bothered
about
our
plight,”
Jasminsha
said
threatening
to
launch
an
indefinite
agitation.
The
UNA
said
despite
the
assurance
given
by
the
chief
minister
in
July
2017,
the
private
managements
were
resorting
to
vindictive
action.
It
criticised
the
delay
in
implementing
revised
salary
finalised
by
Minimum
Wages
Committee
more
than
three
months
ago.
As
per
the
decision,
nurses
working
in
private
hospitals
were
entitled
to
a
hike
ranging
from
Rs
15,000
to
Rs
17,000
across
all
categories.
Protest
paralyses
traffic
on
NH
The
nurses
under
the
banner
of
United
Nurses
Association
(UNA)
held
a
protest
on
Thursday
declaring
solidarity
with
the
striking
nurses
of
KVM
hospital,
Cherthala.
Thousands
of
nurses
from
across
the
state
took
out
a
march
in
front
of
the
hospital,
where
UNA
state
general
secretary
Sujanapal
Achuthan
has
been
staging
an
indefinite
hunger
strike
since
Friday
last.
The
march
was
inaugurated
by
UNA
state
president
Jasminsha.
For
the
past
178
days,
113
nursing
staff
have
been
staging
an
indefinite
strike
and
dharna
in
front
of
the
hospital
demanding
better
pay
and
working
conditions,
implementation
of
three
shift
system
and
reinstatement
of
two
of
their
colleagues
sacked
by
the
hospital
management
“If
the
issue
is
not
resolved,
the
nurses
will
launch
an
indefinite
strike
in
all
private
sector
hospitals
in
the
state,”
said
Bibin
N.
Paul,
state
treasurer,
UNA.
He
also
said
that
the
UNA
was
planning
to
field
a
candidate
in
the
Chengannur
bypoll.
Traffic
along
the
National
Highway
was
thrown
out
of
gear
for
several
hours
in
the
morning.
The
protesters
later
partially
blocked
the
NH
demanding
the
immediate
intervention
by
district
collector
T.V.
Anupama.
The
siege
was
ended
after
the
collector
spoke
with
UNA
office-bearers
and
promised
to
bring
the
issue
before
the
government.
The
traffic
returned
to
normal
by
evening.
