Kerala Nurses Stage State-Wide Protest Over Minimum Wage Dispute

In a significant display of unity, nurses from private hospitals across Kerala organized a state-wide protest on Friday, demanding the implementation of minimum wage policies. The protest comes amid allegations that current salaries fail to keep pace with living costs.

Kerala's Education and Labour Minister V Sivankutty has affirmed the state government's commitment to enforcing minimum wage laws for all private hospital employees, including nurses. He mentioned that a government order addressing this issue would likely be issued imminently, either on Friday or Saturday. The minister also acknowledged that some hospital managements might legally contest the mandate, but emphasized that it is ultimately their responsibility to ensure fair compensation and benefits for their workers.

The protest was organized by the United Nurses Association (UNA), which argues that the current wage structure does not reflect the rising cost of living. On a related note, Minister Sivankutty addressed public outrage over waste management in the wake of the Attukal Pongala festival, noting that additional resources had been deployed to tackle the situation.