Hospital in Kannur agrees to sign wage pact after nurses intensify protest - The HinduUpdated - July 15, 2026 09:09 pm IST - KANNURThe standoff between the Koyili Hospital management and nurses affiliated with the Indian Nurses Association (INA) ended on Wednesday after the management agreed to sign the settlement already accepted by other private hospitals in Kannur, marking a breakthrough in the ongoing wage dispute.The decision came hours after the nurses intensified their agitation by staging a protest on the hospital premises. The protesters prevented medical superintendent P.K. Gangadharan Nair from leaving after he reportedly refused to sign the agreement, leading to a temporary disruption of the hospital’s routine functioning.The protest entered a new phase on Tuesday when the management reportedly backed out of signing the agreement reached at a conciliation meeting convened by T.O. Mohanan, MLA. The nurses subsequently launched a round-the-clock sit-in outside the hospital and organised a symbolic ‘kanji veppu’ (porridge-cooking) protest. Tension prevailed briefly after an ambulance was parked near the protest venue. It was later moved following police intervention.“We held discussions with the hospital management, and they agreed to sign, in the presence of the District Labour Officer on July 16, the same agreement accepted by the other private hospitals. Until the agreement is formally signed, we will continue our strike outside the hospital building. This is a positive development,” said INA State general secretary Mohammed Shihab.Mr. Shihab also alleged that the hospital superintendent had attempted to provoke the protesting nurses during the demonstration and tried to assault them. The hospital management has not responded to the allegation.Under the settlement accepted by the five other private hospitals, the managements have agreed to implement minimum wages for all employees and pay the arrears. The arrears will be disbursed in five instalments beginning on August 30.Published - July 15, 2026 09:08 pm ISTSign in to unlock member-only benefits!Access 10 free stories every monthSave stories to read laterAccess to comment on every storySign-up/manage your newsletter subscriptions with a single clickGet notified by email for early access to discounts & offers on our products${ ind + 1 } ${ device }Last active - ${ la }