Kerala to publish draft for private hospital staff minimum wages within a month
Kerala to publish draft for private hospital staff minimum wages within a month
Kerala plans a draft notification within a month to revise minimum wages for private hospital workers, signaling the possibility of a substantial hike without additional hospital costs.
Thiruvananthapuram, the Kerala government will issue a draft notification within a month to revise minimum wages for employees in the private hospital sector, aiming to better reflect the current cost of living. The move follows a stalemate in talks held through the Minimum Wages Committee, as management representatives did not cooperate, prompting the government to take direct action. The decision includes invoking Section 5 of the Minimum Wages Act, 1948, which empowers the state to issue revised wages by notification.
A committee constituted by the government in October 2023 to revise wages conducted evidence collection across 14 districts and held several rounds of discussions, but no consensus could be reached. At present, many private hospitals pay wages based on the 2013 notification, a framework now seen as insufficient for workers to support their families given rising living costs. Trade unions had already agreed to a department-level proposal recommending a 60 percent wage hike based on the 2013 baseline, but the final revision will be decided by the government after considering broader stakeholder inputs.
The government stresses that the proposed revision would not impose an additional financial burden on hospitals. In drafting the notification, officials will weigh demands raised by professional bodies such as the Indian Association of Physiotherapists, Kerala Private Pharmacists Association, Indian Society of Radiographers and Technologists, and Indian Speech Language and Hearing professionals, among others, before publishing the draft in the official gazette. The minister highlighted that fair wages are a government responsibility and that prolonged discussions cannot continue indefinitely, signaling a push toward living-wage standards in private healthcare while maintaining hospital viability.
In summary, the plan envisions a government-led wage update for private hospital staff, with a draft to be circulated soon and a broader consultation process that aims to balance workers’ needs with the sector’s operational realities.
