Bharath Hospital nurses launch strike

Kottayam: The nurses of Bharath Hospital here launched a sit-in strike   on Friday  raising a number of demands,  including  increase in their  salaries  and an end to the long working hours. "The Bharath Hospital has insisted on 8-hour shift whereas in other hospitals the working time is mostly 6 hours in one stretch,"  said Febin,  district president of the United Nurses Association.

A nurse alleged that the hospital authorities were taking vengeance against them for forming a unit of the UNA. They were paid between  Rs 8,200 and  Rs 10,000 which  should be increased to Rs 20,000, he said. The nurses also alleged that the hospital authorities had  placed cameras where the women nurses change their dress. Jasmine Shah, state president of UNA,   who addressed the nurses who numbered over 100, alleged that the Bharath Hospital, like many others,  was showing inhuman attitude towards the nurses.