NURSES HAVE MODEST SALARIES ON PAPER PEANUTS IN HAND
Manorama Online has obtained a copy of the gazette notification dated December 16, 2009, which clearly states that nurses working both in private medical colleges and other private hospitals are entitled for a minimum pay scale ranging from Rs 8,000 to Rs 14,000. However, slight variations in salary are allowed on the basis of number of hospital beds and other medical facilities that the hospital provides. Along with other privileges, paid maternity leave and eight hours of work per day, also get listed in the notification. But the shocking reality is that nurses are not being paid even the stipulated ''minimum'' wages in most of the private hospitals. Their working environment is also far from satisfactory. Nurses working in leading private hospitals of the state going up in arms demanding a fair compensation for their work, had led labour minister Shibu Baby John order a probe into the issue. All private hospital managements have been allowed 45 days by the government to provide remuneration to the nurses as per the existing rules. Shibu Baby John told Manoramaonline that the Minimum Wages Act would be strictly implemented with retrospective effect for the nurses working in private hospitals in the state.
Describing them as unorganized and highly exploited, Shibu Baby John said that nurses were also ignorant about the prevalent labour laws. Their ignorance in legal matters have made them form an independent union under Charitable Act. He added that he had now asked them to get it registered under Trade Union Act so as to enable the smooth intervention of the state labour department.Studies in this regard have revealed that 21 % of nurses in private sector are working for a meagre monthly salary of Rs 1500. Trainees are often not paid at all. While only 1% of them enjoyed the pay scale as fixed by the government, only 17 % were privileged enough to get paid maternity leave. 7 % do not get weekly offs at all, and 45% end up working for more than 12 hours a day. It has even been revealed that about 7 % of nurses in private sector hospitals are sexually exploited at their workplace.
Describing them as unorganized and highly exploited, Shibu Baby John said that nurses were also ignorant about the prevalent labour laws. Their ignorance in legal matters have made them form an independent union under Charitable Act. He added that he had now asked them to get it registered under Trade Union Act so as to enable the smooth intervention of the state labour department.Studies in this regard have revealed that 21 % of nurses in private sector are working for a meagre monthly salary of Rs 1500. Trainees are often not paid at all. While only 1% of them enjoyed the pay scale as fixed by the government, only 17 % were privileged enough to get paid maternity leave. 7 % do not get weekly offs at all, and 45% end up working for more than 12 hours a day. It has even been revealed that about 7 % of nurses in private sector hospitals are sexually exploited at their workplace.
Prof. John Kurakar
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