Over 100 staff members of St. Isabel’s Hospital staged a protest on Monday, demanding a better hike in their wages, said members of the St. Isabel’s Hospital Employees Union.
The employees protested in shifts, said T. Nandakumar, general secretary of the union, so as not to affect patients. “Under the old agreement, which expired last year, we got an increment of 30 per cent of our gross pay. However, under the new agreement, the management is giving us only 20 per cent of our basic pay and dearness allowance. We want them to give us 30 per cent,” he said.
There are about 200 members in the union of the 600-odd employees, said A. Murali, a member, and that most other employees were supporting the strike.
The union is affiliated to the Centre of Indian Trade Unions.
Hospital authorities could not be reached for comment.
