Archive · 7 Oct 2026
Tamil Nadu Nurses Pause Strike, Set November 3 Deadline
Contract nurses in Tamil Nadu held a hunger strike to ask for better jobs and fairer pay.
They want permanent employment, job security and equal pay for equal work.
They also asked for salary increases and incentive pay.
More than 1,000 nurses joined the protest in Egmore, Chennai.
Mano Thangaraj joined to support them.
Police detained some union members and Thangaraj, and everyone detained was later released.
Health Department officials said the demands would be fulfilled by November 3.
The nurses paused their protest after those assurances.
Their association says it will hold a statewide protest if the demands are not met by then.
Contract nurses temporarily halted their hunger strike after Health Department officials gave assurances about their demands.
The nurses are seeking permanent employment, job security, salary increases, incentive pay and equal pay for equal work.
More than 1,000 nurses from across Tamil Nadu joined the protest in Egmore, Chennai.
Police detained union members and DMK leader Mano Thangaraj; all detainees were later released.
Association president Sundari said a statewide protest would follow if the demands were not met by November 3.
- Who
- Contract nurses represented by the Tamil Nadu Contract Healthcare Workers Association; DMK leader Mano Thangaraj also joined in support.
- What
- The nurses temporarily paused their hunger strike after Health Department assurances and set November 3 as the deadline for their demands.
- When
- The strike began on Monday; the report is dated October 7. The stated deadline is November 3.
- Where
- Egmore, Chennai, with nurses participating from across Tamil Nadu.
- Why
- They are seeking permanent employment, job security, salary increases, incentive pay and equal pay for equal work.
Nurses’ Association
State Health Department
Demands and response
Nurses’ Association
The nurses seek permanent employment, job security and improved pay, and warned of a statewide protest if their demands are not met by November 3.
State Health Department
Health Department officials assured the nurses that their demands would be fulfilled by November 3; the reports do not include a separate detailed government account.
- Association
- Tamil Nadu Contract Healthcare Workers Association (TCHWA)
- Protest location
- Egmore, Chennai
- Participants
- More than 1,000 nurses from across Tamil Nadu
- Demands
- Permanent job status, job security, salary increments, incentive pay and equal pay for equal work
- Government assurance
- Senior Health Department officials said the demands would be fulfilled by November 3
- Next step
- The association said it would hold a statewide protest if demands were not met before November 3
- Detentions
- Police detained union members and Mano Thangaraj; all detainees were later released
