Over 68,000 nurses of private hospitals in Kerala called off their proposed indefinite strike over wages from today after the LDF government issued a notification on minimum basic salary of Rs 20,000, their body UNA said.
However, the Indian Nurses Association dubbed as 'meagre' the increase notified and said it would go ahead with its proposed strike from May 12.
United Nurses Association (UNA) state President Jasmin Shah said with the government issuing the notification late last night, the association decided not to go ahead with the strike.
The functioning of over 450 private hospitals with 50 plus beds would have been affected if the nurses had gone ahead with the agitation.
The UNA had last week given the strike call over its demand for implementation of minimum basic salary of Rs 20,000 as assured by the government last year when the nurses had struck work.
"Shah told PTI that a proposed 'long' march from Chertala in Alappuzha to the state secretariat today would also not be held."
However, he warned that they will be forced to go on strike if the government did not give effect to the enhanced pay from next month's salary.
INA state President Liben Thomas told PTI that they would be giving the strike notices to hospitals from today.
The increase was only 'meagre', he said, adding that the DA and allowances were merged, thus giving them virtually a very low hike.
Hospital and nursing allowances had also been cut, he claimed.
As per the government notification, the minimum basic salary of private hospital nurses had been increased to Rs 20,000 and it will have retrospective effect from October 1, 2017.
They would also get enhanced allowance between Rs 2,000-10,000, besides annual increment, service weightage and dearness allowance.
While nurses, pharmacists and laboratory technicians will get a minimum basic salary of Rs 20,000 as per bed strength in hospitals, attenders and other employees would be paid Rs 16,000.
"As per bed strength in hospitals, the employees have been divided into six categories. The other employees will also be eligible for enhanced allowance," an official press release said.
The nurses had struck work in June 2017, demanding hike in salaries and called off their agitation after the government assured them their demands would be addressed.
Though the government published a draft on the minimum basic salary in November last year, an order on the revised pay was issued only last night.
The private hospital nurses in Kerala had been on the warpath for the past two years, demanding minimum basic salary of Rs 20,000 as fixed by the Supreme Court.
"Kerala has about 1,100 private hospitals, including 457 with 50 plus beds," according to the association leaders.
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