CITU nurses to form new body

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The nurses associated with CITU have convened a state level conference of nurses in Thrissur on November 7 with the objective of forming a new organisation by splitting  the existing organisations. The decision to split the UNA comes in the wake of the refusal to get affiliated with the CITU.  The decision could be a set back to the united movement of nurses which is in the midst of a major battle with private hospitals for implementation of higher wages decided by Wage Committee.

CITU has been asked by the party to attract members of UNA to the new organisation . The UNA and Indian Nurses Association had led powerful agitations against the exploitation of nurses and other staff in private hospitals. The recent strike by nurses had forced the government to hike the wages of nurses in private hospitals. During the agitation, major trade unions had failed to exercise their influence over the nurses associations. 

While there have been attempts in the past to get these organizations affiliated to CITU, majority of nurses had resisted such pressures and chose to remain independent. It is learnt that the CITU is trying to woo those nurse who are sympathetic to the Left organisations.  It has also asked Kerala government Nurses Association to influence the nurses of private hospitals.