The striking nurses, including those who threatened to make a suicidal
jump from the terrace of a Kerala hospital, called off their protests
after their demands were met late Thursday.
The final talks were
held between nurses and Leader of Opposition V.S. Achuthanandan, who
addressed the striking nurses and officially announced that the strike
had been called off.
Three nurses had climbed atop the hospital
building early Wednesday when the strike by a section of nurses in the
Kothamangalam Mar Baselious Hospital in Ernakulam -- demanding that the
hospital authorities make permanent the services of all the nurses
working on a labour bond contract -- entered its 114th day.
Labour
Minister Shibhu Baby John, Health Minister V.S. Sivakumar and Kerala
government's chief whip P.C. George held several rounds of talks with
the trio. However, they remained adamant on their demand that they be
given a permanent post at the hospital.
The settlement was
reached after the hospital management agreed that the prescribed minimum
wages would be given to all the nurses.
The salaries of striking
nurses for the 115 days of their strike would also be paid and no
disciplinary action would be taken against them.
Another round of
talks will be held Sunday in which the Ernakulam district collector
will finalise the terms and conditions of the settlement between the
hospital management and the nurses.
"We all have taken education
loans and the cooling period is now over. We have no means to repay it
with our meagre allowance," a colleague said.
"The three on the roof top recently received a recovery notice from the bank," she added.
A shutdown was observed in Kothamangalam Thursday to put pressure on the authorities for an early resolution to the issue.
Kerala nurses end strike
