THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Administrative Reforms Commission chairman V. S. Achuthanandan on Friday asked the private hospital managements to take immediate steps to resolve the nurses’ strike in the wake of HC directive to enforce Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA). Mr Achuthanandan said the hospital managements should not waste time to implement the Supreme Court directed pay scale of the nurses. The United Nurses Association (UNA) and Indian Nurses Association (INA) which are spearheading the nurses agitation have demanded the implementation of apex court recommended pay scale.
According to these organisations, the SC had recommended minimum wages of Rs 20,000 and salary for nurses on part with the government wages. The private hospital managements should take a positive view of the demands raised by nurses, he said. He said the failure of the managements to implement the apex court directive had forced the nurses to resort to strike and the High Court take a strident position on the issue even asking the government to invoke ESMA. It is the responsibility of the managements to comply with the Supreme Court directive. Mr Achuthanandan urged the government to bring the managements to the negotiating table.
