KOZHIKODE: With the conciliatory talk called by the district collector on Wednesday failing to resolve the impasse, the striking nurses of the Malabar Medical College Hospital and Research Centre (MMC) have decided to go on a hunger strike on Vishu along with their parents. The hunger strike in front of the hospital will be under the aegis of the 'Samara Sahaya Samiti' formed to support the cause.
The meeting called by the district collector N. Prashanth at Collector's chamber failed to reach a consensus on the revoke of the suspension of nurses' union leader N. Sreemesh Kumar. The hospital management reiterated its stand that Mr Kumar would be taken back temporarily at a sub-centre and his future to be decided according to the report of the inquiry committee set up by the management.
Regarding the implementation of the contract reached between the nurses and the hospital, the management said that they had to rethink over certain allowances like night shift duty. "Those provisions will be fight it out legally," said the management representative.
Poet P.K Gopi will inaugurate the hunger strike which will witness the participation of 300 people. UNA state president Jasmin shah, secretary Jithin Lohi, MMC chairman Anilkumar, chief administrative officer R.K Nair among others took part in the talk. Earlier the talks called by M.K Raghavan MP, district labour officer and Kerala state mediation and conciliation centre (KSMCC) too have met with failure. The nurses started their strike on February 23.
