The Gujarat Nurses Union (GNU) has threatened to intensify its agitation if the state government did not favourably respond to its demands for better wages and allowances for nursing staff by September 16. GNU President Narendra Modi told reporters that about 10,000 nurses in government run hospitals throughout the state have begun a protest movement from September one to press for demands for pay parity with their central government counterparts and hike in allowances. He said that their main demand concerned removal of anomaly in the basic salary of nursing staff to bring it at the level of that of central government employees, and enhanced allowances under the sectoral heads of nursing, washing and uniform. The GNU, which on August 21 had intimated the state government of its intention of launching an agitation for its demands, would be chalking out its next course of action on September 16, Modi added. From September one onwards, the nursing staff had begun a symbolic protest and were wearing black badges, the GNU president said.
So far the state government has not shown any inclination to hold negotiations in this regard with us, Modi said.
If nothing concrete shows up, then we plan to work without white uniform from September 10 to 16, when the decision to intensify the stir would be taken by the GNU's executive council, Modi added.
Bureau Report