Nurses stage protest seeking regularisation of services, equal pay

Nurses affiliated to The Tamil Nadu Nurses Empowerment Association staged a demonstration in Chennai on Thursday, urging the State government to regularise the services of all nurses on consolidated pay, and to implement a court order granting equal pay for equal work.

About 250 nurses from across the State took part in the protest. They urged the DMK government to fulfil its election promise to regularise the services of all nurses on consolidated pay. Of the 15,000 nurses who were recruited through the Medical Services Recruitment Board (MRB) on consolidated pay, around 8,000 have been regularised so far.

The nurses started off with a consolidated pay of ₹7,700 in 2015 and, after several protests, their pay was increased to ₹14,000 in 2018. In 2021, it was increased to ₹18,000 with an annual increment of 5%, according to N. Subin, general secretary of the association.

Nurses on regular posts get a salary of nearly ₹60,000 in the city, while those on consolidated pay receive ₹18,000. The court order on equal pay for equal work should be implemented by the government. Similarly, another judgment granting maternity leave and benefits to nurses on consolidated pay should be implemented, he added.

The association demanded that permanent posts of nurses should be created in accordance with the patient strength, following the recommendations of the National Medical Commission and Indian Public Health Standards. “While new district headquarters hospitals are being established, no new posts of nurses are being created. Instead, nurses from other institutions are being diverted,” Mr. Subin said.

All the nurses who worked during the COVID-19 pandemic, and whose services were terminated, should be reinstated, the association said.

Among other demands, the association demanded the restoring of nursing superintendent grade 3 posts, and fixing of salaries for promotions at seven, 14, 20, and 25 years for nurses.