Kerala private hospitals agree to raise nurse salaries amid strike
Nurses across Kerala have been on strike since March 4, with the UNA launching an indefinite strike on March 9; large protests were held on March 10.
In response, 429 private hospitals have agreed to raise the minimum nurse salary to ₹32,700, but that is still less than the ₹40,000 monthly wage nurses are asking for.
The United Nurses Association (UNA), leading the protest, says it is not backing down just yet.
Nurses demand equal pay with government counterparts
According to the association, wages have not been increased since 2019 (the last pay revision was implemented in April 2018) and say they are also fighting for safer staffing levels.
Even during the strike, they have promised essential patient care will not be affected.
Trade unions are backing their call for fair pay, on par with government hospital nurses, while hospital owners argue the strike notice was too short and could hurt smaller clinics.
For now, many nurses remain unsatisfied with the latest offer from hospitals and await a better deal.