VHS nurses continue strike over wage hike
Nurses of the voluntary health services (VHS) continued their strike for the fourth day on Saturday demanding a hike in wages from their existing meager salaries that hardly helped them make ends meet.
As many as 70 nurses of the VHS have been on a strike since Wednesday, saying that their payscales have not been revised for a long time.
Most of the nurses, regardless of their years of experience were reportedly being given a basic pay of Rs 6,000.
The nurses also wanted the management to improve the facilities at the hostel.
Hospital sources claimed that people working in several departments such as the ICU, pharmacy and labs were outsourced and this created a fear in the minds of the nurses who saw this as their last chance to demand a wage hike.
However, several attempts to hold talks, including a meeting with the deputy labour commissioner, failed as both sides refused to reach a common ground. A central committee also held discussions on the issue on Saturday.
Sources claimed that only an administration representative turned up for the talks and none of the senior members of the management attended it.
“Even when the management representatives came to interact with us, their offer was very unreasonable.
The entire concept of holding talks is a farce as they are trying to prolong the issue as much as they can and make us comply to their terms,” said a protestors.
Efforts to contact Dr. E.S. Krishnamoorthy, director of the institute of neurological sciences at VHS Hospital proved futile.
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