Nursing trainees go on strike

ANGAMALY: Nursing trainees at the Little Flower Super Specialty Hospital here have started an agitation against the management’s decision not to employ them. About 74 trainees, who also alleged mental torture,  participated in the agitation.The strike was organised by the United Nurses Association, which had formed a unit in LF Hospital recently. Nursing students from various colleges and youth wings of political parties have declared support to the agitation. The trainees had served a notice on the management on December 22, 2011, demanding placement. The Deputy Labour Commissioner held discussions with the management on December 31 and decided to hold a conciliatory talk on  Monday evening. But the trainees began the strike in the morning itself.According to hospital director Dr Sebastian Vadakkumpadan, only a few trainees were refused jobs. Nursing students have to leave the hospital after completion of course. If they hesitate to do so and insist on continuing with the hospital, it would be difficult to admit new students and to run the hospital smoothly. The allegation of mental torture is baseless. The management was neither in possession of certificates nor were the nurses bound by any agreement, Sebastian Vadakkumpadan said.