TN: In an Unexpected Move, More than 2,400 Nursing Staff is Sacked

In an unexpected blow to their livelihoods, more than 2,400 nursing staff in Tamil Nadu were relieved from work on New Year’s eve.

They were appointed on an ad hoc basis for COVID-19 management in 2020, and their contracts were regularly renewed. However, the Tamil Nadu Health Department refused to renew the contract, which ended on December 31.

Under the leadership of the Tamil Nadu Medical Recruitment Board (MRB) Staff Nurses Empowerment Association (TNMNEA), the sacked nurses held protests in district headquarters on January 2.

The protestors condemned the state government’s decision and demanded they be employed in vacant positions across the state.

Speaking to NewsClick, Ashwini Grace, vice president of TNMNEA, said, “The announcement was so unexpected. We were unable even to get a stay on the government order because it was given on December 31 evening.”

MINISTER’S WORDS

Health Minister Ma Subramanian on January 2 alleged that All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) leader Edappadi K Palaniswami was responsible for recruiting nurses without following communal rotation during the pandemic.

Citing High Court and Supreme Court rulings in several cases, Subramanian said the services of persons appointed against the rules without following communal rotation should not be extended.

The TNMNEA reacted strongly to the health minister’s statement that the nurses were recruited without following communal rotation.

Grace said, “The words of the minister are very misleading. These nurses have been recruited upon writing the MRB exam and on communal rotation.”

In May 2020, the health department recruited nearly 3,400 nurses on an ad hoc basis for COVID-19 management from the reserve list of the MRB exam for nurses held in 2019. Of them, 2,472 nurses recruited on merit and communal rotation were allowed to continue in service until further orders.

The previous AIADMK government appointed nurses to handle the increasing number of COVID-19 patients. They were paid Rs 14,000/month.

‘NO TO SCHEME WORK’

Subramanian said that there are 2,200 vacancies for nurses at primary health centres, nurses will be recruited for the 708 urban health centres, and 270 mid-level health providers will be hired for the Makkalai Thedi Maruthuvam scheme.

The terminated nurses fear they would never be regularised if shifted to scheme work.

“I joined as a contract nurse and was later regularised; this is the only possibility. If nurses are pushed to scheme work, they will never be given permanent employment,” said Grace.

Moreover, recruitment for scheme work can be done without clearing the MRB nursing examination.

“Such is the new year gift that nurses who worked so hard to fight corona are given,” said Grace disappointedly.

The nurses hired during COVID-19 were extensively lauded for their contribution during the first and second waves.

NO SALARY FOR 5 MONTHS

The terminated nurses were not given a salary for the last five months, and there has yet to be a word about it from the state government.

“We thought there was a discrepancy in salary, and that is why there was a delay in renewing the contract; the NRHM contributes 60% and the state government 40%. We didn’t expect the government to sack the workers suddenly,” said Grace.

“Many nurses missed big opportunities in the hope of permanent employment. Many had the chance to go abroad. One of them was a senior staff of Insurance at Ramakrishna institute. Another was even a principal of a college,” added Grace.

TNMNEA, in its statement dated January 1, said, “The move of not providing permanent employment makes us fear that government hospitals are moving in the direction of profit-oriented private hospitals.”

TNMNEA stated that it is resolved to fight till the terminated workers are reinstate