KOZHIKODE: The striking nurses at Malabar Medical College Hospital and Research Centre (MMC) at Modakallur will go on an indefinite fast from April if talks called by the district administration on Tuesday fail. The strike under the aegis of United Nurses Association (UNA) has entered the 35th day.
Their primary demand is the withdrawal of the suspension of the UNA hospital unit president N. Sreemesh Kumar. Other issues like the bonus and allowances have taken a backseat.
“Only ten of us are with the management. Mr Kumar’s car was damaged and construction materials unloaded near the venue,” UNA district president M. Rejith alleged.
Though political parties like CPM, BJP and RMP support their support, trade unions at MMC are keeping silent. The hospital is functioning with newly recruited nurses.
They accuse the hospital of not keeping their promises made few months back to disburse benefits. The nurses were allowed to wear plain clothes till they pay the uniform allowance. But they dismissed two for not being in uniform. Mr Kumar got a suspension and attempted murder case filed against him after he questioned it.
As they went on strike, 29 more nurses were suspended. They allege there were issues with the management of the provident fund, ESI, minimum wages, bonus and maternity leave. “The PF contribution is due since 2008,” says Jishin, another nurse.
But the MMC dismisses all the allegations. “Why the protesters failed to win the support of any of the 600-odd other staff in the hospital? The affiliated trade unions too did not back them,” manager Suneesh Kumar K. told DC.
He said there were several complaints against the union leader. “They went on strike five minutes after serving notice. They spared no emergency services,” he said. Talks held at the district labour office had failed twice earlier.
