Politicos join issue in nurses’ strike, CPI secretary addresses rally

COIMBATORE: CPI state secretary D Pandian came down heavily on the management of PSG hospital for taking an adamant stand against nurses’ on strike demanding wage revision. Addressing the striking nurses in Gandhipuram on Friday evening, Pandian warned the hospital management against complicating the issue.
“The nurses are on strike for the last seven days and they are raising very genuine demands.But the management is dealing with them the same way Mahinda Rajpakse treats Sri Lankan Tamils. It is highly deplorable,’’ Pandian said. He also extended the support of his party to the strike.
Pandian said he had taken up the issue already with chief minister J Jayalalithaa and the labour minister. “On the first day of the agitation, we contacted the management to settle the issue. But the management refused to respond,’’ he said, adding that the pressure tactics of the management will not bear fruit.
“The management is hell-bent on destroying the unity of the nurses. By denying water, food and electricity to hostel blocks and not allowing vehicles carrying food and water to the compounds, what is the management trying to justify? How can a charity institution behave like this? The hospital must restore the basic amenities as soon as possible,” Pandian said.
“The management must come forward and accept the demands of the nurses,” he added.