Chengalpet Govt Nurses Hold 1-Hour Work Boycott Over Long-Pending Demands
Nurses wear black badges and protest against redeployment policy, contract employment and staff shortages, citing nearly 30,000 vacant posts across Tamil Nadu.
By : DC Correspondent
Update: 2026-08-07 09:59 GMT
Government nurses at the Chengalpet government medical college hospital wore black badges and boycotted work for an hour on Thursday as part of the statewide protest to press for a series of long-pending demands, including the withdrawal of the government’ redeployment policy and regularisation of contract staff.
The protest was held between 7 am and 8 am, when nurses staged a demonstration within the hospital premises while raising slogans in support of their demands.
Among the key demands were the withdrawal of government order (G.O.) No. 204, relating to the redeployment of staff, abolition of the consolidated pay system and regularisation of nurses working on contract.
They also sought the re-designation of their post as ‘Nursing Officer’ and the issuance of a G.O. prescribing service rules for the cadre.
The protesting nurses alleged that around 30,000 nursing posts remain vacant across Tamil Nadu and urged the government to fill them immediately to address severe staff shortages in government hospitals.
They also called on the government to fulfil its election promise of regularising nurses after five years of service, pointing out that many nurses have continued to work on a temporary basis for more than 10 years.
At the Chengalpet hospital, the nurses claimed that only about 200 nurses were currently on duty, against a requirement of around 1,000, placing a heavy workload on the existing staff and affecting patient care.
The nurses said the one-hour work boycott and black badge protest will continue Friday as part of the statewide agitation until their demands are met.
Among the key demands were the withdrawal of government order (G.O.) No. 204, relating to the redeployment of staff, abolition of the consolidated pay system and regularisation of nurses working on contract.
They also sought the re-designation of their post as ‘Nursing Officer’ and the issuance of a G.O. prescribing service rules for the cadre.
The protesting nurses alleged that around 30,000 nursing posts remain vacant across Tamil Nadu and urged the government to fill them immediately to address severe staff shortages in government hospitals.
They also called on the government to fulfil its election promise of regularising nurses after five years of service, pointing out that many nurses have continued to work on a temporary basis for more than 10 years.
At the Chengalpet hospital, the nurses claimed that only about 200 nurses were currently on duty, against a requirement of around 1,000, placing a heavy workload on the existing staff and affecting patient care.
The nurses said the one-hour work boycott and black badge protest will continue Friday as part of the statewide agitation until their demands are met.