Published Mar 04, 2026 | 3:53 PM ⚊ Updated Mar 04, 2026 | 4:34 PM
UNA has warned that the agitation could escalate into an indefinite strike if its demands are ignored.
Synopsis: Hundreds of nurses across nearly 490 private hospitals in Kerala launched a strike on 4 March, demanding a minimum salary of ₹40,000, fair staffing ratios, and protection against arbitrary dismissals. Led by the United Nurses Association, they allege wages remain unchanged since 2018 despite rising costs, warning of an indefinite strike if demands and committee recommendations are ignored.
Amid continuing protests by government doctors in state-run hospitals, unrest has now spread to Kerala’s private health sector, with hundreds of nurses launching a strike on Wednesday, 4 March, pressing a series of long-pending demands.
The agitation, led by the United Nurses Association (UNA), has affected nearly 490 private hospitals and clinics across the state where the organisation claims to represent the majority of nursing staff.
The nurses are seeking a minimum basic monthly salary of ₹40,000, better staffing to ease heavy workloads, and a more balanced patient-to-nurse ratio to ensure quality care.
The association has also raised concerns over what it describes as arbitrary dismissals, particularly targeting those active in union work.
According to the UNA, many nurses continue to work extended hours for pay that falls short of minimum wage standards, while hospitals remain chronically understaffed, compromising both working conditions and patient care.
Alleging that wages in the private sector have remained unchanged since 2018, UNA accused the government of failing to enforce fair pay despite High Court directives.
It further alleged that authorities have not taken meaningful steps to compel hospital managements to revise salaries or address staffing shortages.
The strike follows a token protest held on 21 February, which the association said elicited no response from the government. UNA has warned that the agitation could escalate into an indefinite strike if its demands are ignored.
In addition to salary revisions, the nurses are calling for the implementation of the recommendations of the Dr Balaram and Jagdish Prasad Committees.
They have also demanded UGC pay scales for nursing college faculty and improvements in patient-care standards through better nurse staffing ratios.
Some sections of private hospital nurses have launched an indefinite strike pressing for a substantial pay hike and the immediate implementation of long-pending assurances. They alleged that although the state government had issued an order in 2023 proposing a wage increase after earlier protests by UNA, they claim that the directive has not been properly enforced in private hospitals.
The protestors demand that there is an urgent need for a clearly defined wage structure for private sector nurses, in line with the regulations laid down by the Nursing Council.
They cited that this is essential as salaries currently vary widely from one hospital to another, depending entirely on management decisions.
“There is no uniform pay structure, and many of us are struggling to manage with what we earn,” said UNA president Jasmin Shah.
While acknowledging that the strike could disrupt the routine functioning of private hospitals, the nurses clarified that emergency services would continue without interruption.
UNA maintained that implementing a higher minimum wage would not impose any financial burden on the state exchequer and attributed the delay in issuing a notification to pressure from private hospital managements.
The association has stressed that salary revisions are supposed to be carried out every three years, or at least within five years. However, more than seven years have passed since the last revision, which they describe as marginal. During this period, they noted, living costs have increased sharply.
Pointing to stark disparities, UNA said that nurses employed in government hospitals earn close to ₹60,000 per month, including allowances, while many of their counterparts in private hospitals receive less than ₹20,000 for performing similar duties — a gap the association argues is both unjust and unsustainable.
Meanwhile, Divya ES of UNA told South First that hospital representatives and health authorities have called a meeting this evening, and a decision on further protests will be taken after the discussions.
(With inputs from Dileep V Kumar and Sreelakshmi Soman)
