Striking nurses blockade national highway, arrested

Alappuzha: The police resorted to lathi charge against nurses on a strike against the management of KVM hospital near Alappuzha. Five nurses were injured and they were admitted to Taluk Hospital Cherthala.

The nurses have been on strike for nearly six months, and the state secretary of United Nurses Association has on hunger strike in support of the strike. For the past 175 days, 113 nursing staff have been on an indefinite strike and dharna in front of the hosital demanding better pay and working conditions, along with reinstatement of two of their colleagues sacked by the hospital management.

A blockade was held on the national highway under the leadership of UNA President Jasmin Sha, and others including Sibi Mukesh, Beljo, and Shoby, demanding government intervention to end the strike. The police action was against this in which they forcefully evicted many while arresting around 50 protesters.

The nurses alleged the hospital had not been paying even the minimum wages announced in 2013 and their working hours often extended to 10 hours during day shifts and 14 hours on nights. They had also been denied PF, ESI and other benefits and were often fined for trivial reasons.

UNA leadership has declared that to protest against the police action, a state-wide strike will be held on Thursday.