Thrissur: Employees of private hospitals across Kerala, including nurses, have called a state-wide strike on Saturday, pressing a series of demands related to pay parity and service conditions.

The one-day token strike will be led by the United Nurses Association (UNA).

As part of the Kerala nurses’ strike, a rights declaration conference will be held in Thrissur.

Under the slogan 'Athijeevanathinayulla Porattam' (Fight for Survival), nurses and other private hospital employees are demanding the implementation of equal pay for equal work, a minimum basic salary of ₹40,000 for nurses, and proportionate salary hikes for other categories of hospital staff. They have also sought the implementation of UGC-scale pay in applicable institutions.

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The protesters are calling for the enforcement of recommendations made by the Dr Balram Committee, Jagdish Prasad Committee and Veerakumar Committee, which examined wage structures and service conditions in the health sector.

The charter of demands further includes ensuring pay parity for employees working under the National Health Mission (NHM), Palliative Care, MLSP, HDS and EMT services.

UNA office-bearers urged all sections of healthcare workers to participate in the state-wide strike by private hospital nurses in Kerala, stating that future protest measures would be decided at the rights declaration conference in Thrissur.