Kerala nurses prepare to revive strike for better pay

Two months down the line, health-care workers say they see no salary revision

Nurses in Kerala, who have gone on strike multiple times over the past few years demanding higher pay, are preparing to go on strike again since state government promises remain unfulfilled.

Following a major strike by nurses two months ago, the state government held a conciliatory meeting during which a better compensation package was announced for nurses across the state.

Announcing the details of the pay package on that occasion, state chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan had said that there was general agreement that the monthly salary of nurses in 50-bedded hospitals should be Rs20,000 (Dh1,122). Currently, some junior nurses earn as little as Rs10,000

Two months down the line, nurses in the state say that private hospital managements have not hiked their pay even by a rupee and worse, they have been taking disciplinary action against those who were in the forefront of the strike.

Some of the nurses affiliated to the United Nurses Association alleged that some hospital managements had even resorted to demoting nurses.