Nurses’ strike: Thrissur Archdiocese to stage protest on July 12 against ‘campaign’ to malign church institutions

The Thrissur Archdiocese of the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church has decided to observe a protest day in all its parishes on Sunday, alleging that the ongoing agitation by nurses is being used by the United Nurses Association (UNA) and “anti-Church forces” to malign the archdiocese and Archbishop Mar Andrews Thazhath.

The Archdiocesan leadership is also planning to organise awareness meetings in parishes to explain its stance on the dispute. A diocesan-level “Prathirodha Sangamam” (protest convention) will be held at the Town Hall on July 12, with representatives of parishes, religious leaders and socio-cultural personalities expected to participate.

The Archdiocese alleged that a sustained misinformation campaign was being carried out against its institutions, including Amala Institute of Medical Sciences and Jubilee Mission Medical College & Research Institute, under the guise of the nurses’ strike.

“Even the UNA had acknowledged that Amala and Jubilee Mission offered the highest salaries to nurses among private hospitals in Kerala. This shows the “real agenda” behind the continuing agitation,” said Vicar General Monsignor Jaison Koonamplackal. He also alleged that the association had remained silent on hospitals paying lower wages and suggested that the selective nature of the protest pointed to vested interests.