No end in sight to nurses’ strike

Thiruvananthapuram: Even as the strike carried out by the public health nurses has entered the sixth day, the health department has not initiated any talks to settle the strike.
The nurses are on an indefinite day and night dharna before the directorate of health services for the last six days.
The indefinite strike was organised for demanding the withdrawal of the controversial order which froze the promotions of the nurses in the government sector.
The nurses are also demanding to amend the special rules such that there should be a clear cut guideline on the working pattern for the public health nurses.
“The public health nurses are those who work in the field whenever there is a pandemic-like situation. They are risking their own lives while doing such dedicated service. However, there is not enough recognition for them in the government sector,” Renukumari S, general secretary of Kerala government junior public health nurses and supervisors union.
The public health nurses are carrying out the indefinite strike without affecting the duties and hence the union leaders have demanded the health department to urgently intervene to settle the strike.
The union leaders said that if the government is not initiating the talks, then they will be forced to extend the strike to all districts that will affect the field work of the health department.