In a setback to the private hospital managements, the Supreme Court on Monday dismissed the appeal filed by the Kerala Private Hospitals' Association to stay the government notification on the revision of minimum wages of nurses.
The court dismissed the appeal, which argued that if the order came to effect it would adversely affect the functioning of the hospitals.
United Nurses Association, the largest association of private hospital nurses in the state, objected to the Association’s plea at the court.
A division bench of the Kerala High Court on May 11 had dismissed the appeal filed by the Association challenging the order of single judge, which had declined to stay the government order.
The judge had observed that an interim order could be passed only after having a comprehensive hearing on the petition.
The government on April 23 issued notification for the pay hike of the nurses and other staff working in the private hospitals in the state followed by a symbolic strike by the UNA.
The nurses affiliated to UNA commenced symbolic protest on April 17 accusing the government of not implementing the pay revision by delaying the notification and saying that the government was trying to sabotage the Supreme Court directive on the issue. The UNA had planned for an indefinite strike if the notification was not issued.
The protest of nurses by UNA and Indian Nurses Association had adversely affected the health sector in July 2017 forcing the government to hold talks. A consensus had been reached in the discussion that followed. But the notification was not issued prompting the nurses to go up in arms again.