Kerala High Court dismisses private hospitals’ plea challenging government order to fix higher wages for nurses

Source – newindianexpress.com

KOCHI: A Division Bench of the Kerala High Court on Friday dismissed the appeal filed by the Kerala Private Hospitals Association (KPHA) challenging the order of single judge declining to stay the government order on the revision of minimum wages of nurses.

While declining the plea to stay the notification fixing the minimum wages of nurses in private hospitals at Rs 20,000 per month, the Single Judge had observed that an interim order could be passed only after having a comprehensive hearing on the petition.

According to the hospital management, the mode to fix a minimum of wage under section 5 of the Travancore Cochin Literary Scientific and Charitable Societies Act had not been followed. They also pointed out that the categorisation of private hospitals based on bed strength was illegal. As per the order, the revisions of minimum wages was being implemented retrospectively with effect from September 01, 2017. This was against the various principles laid down by judgments of the High Court and the Supreme Court, said the management.

Senior Government Pleaser MS Breeze submitted that government fixed the minimum wages for hospital employees including nurses after hearing all the affected parties. The Single Judge considered all the matters while declining the stay. There was no material produced before the Bench to interfere with the order. The Division Bench upheld the view of the government and dismissed the appeal.