The nurses’ strike under the aegis of the United Nurses Association (UNA) in Thrissur, Kerala, has been called off after 72 hours. The managements of most of the hospitals have agreed to fulfil the demands being made by the nurses. The wages of the nurses had not been revised for five years.
The nurses have been demanding a daily wage of Rs 1,500 and 50 per cent interim relief. Nurses at Kookencherry Elite Hospital, are, however, still on strike as the management is yet to agree to the demands.
The nurses have been asking for their wages to be revised in accordance with the Pay Commission recommendations and labour laws. They also wish for the management to do away with the contract laws.
Nurses from six hospitals had ended their protest on the very first day of the strike, as their managements had assured them that their demands would be met. These hospitals were West Fort, Sun, Amala, Daya, Jubilee Mission and Malankara Mission.
Meanwhile, in Britain, junior doctors are still protesting against the low wages they have been receiving for well over a decade now. The protesting doctors feel that only a 35 per cent hike in pay will be able to justify the low wages that they have been earning for 15 years.
The British Medical Association is reportedly thinking of involving Acas, a mediation service, to help end the strike. The junior doctors have been on a 4-day strike since 10 April 2023.
