Now, MNS eyes hospitals

In a battle of one upmanship with the Shiv Sena, the party has founded workers' unions in private hospitals

The MNS flag is flying high at private hospitals across the city.

Eyeing the BMC elections scheduled in 2012, the Raj Thackeray led MNS has successfully started workers' unions in posh hospitals including Lilavati Hospital in Bandra, Saifee at Charni Road and Harkisondas Hospital in Girgaum.

And the penetration of MNS in hospital unions has not gone down well with the Shiv Sena, as unions in both private and civic hospitals has been the Sena's strong hold.

Uphill task

MNS party workers said that the establishing of unions in hospitals was not an easy task. The MNS formed a union in Lilavati Hospital, which also had a Shiv Sena union functional for the last 14 years.
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"If there is a union existing from a long time and they are unable to fulfill the demands of the workers then the workers will find the best alternative and at present it is the MNS," said Gajanan Rane, president of the MNS labour union. The MNS claims to have major backing from the nurses and ward boys alike.

Apart from Lilavati, the MNS has furled its flag at other major posh hospitals like Saifee, Harkisondas and are now aiming for Jaslok, Breach Candy and Sevenhills hospital.

Vijay Krishna, CEO, Breach Candy Hospital, said, "If more unions want to be at the hospital they are welcome if they are getting the support, but we will always speak to theu00a0u00a0 union that is recognised, by the labour court's decision.

Both the Sena and the MNS are struggling to get recognition under the Maharashtra Recognition of Trade Unions and Prevention of Unfair Labour Practice Act, 1971. Rane said, "We will soon apply for recognition in these hospitals as more than 70 per cent of the staffers are with us."

However, Shiv Sena officials maintained that the MNS existence in the hospital unions in not a threat to the Bharatiya Kamgar Sena at all.

"They (MNS) have just started and we have always been there as a strong union in private hospitals," said Milind Tulaskar, joint general secretary of the Sena's Labour union.

Bowing to unions

Bombay Hospital
IN 1998, 3,500 employees of Bombay Hospital affiliated to the Bharatiya Kamgar Sena (BKS) had struck work. The management at Bombay Hospital had tried to introduce rules barring its female staff from wearing mangalsutras and bindis. However, this plan was nixed after protests from union workers at the hospital.

SL Raheja Hospital
Raheja Hospital had tried to impose a dress code for female staffers that bars them from wearing saris, chappals, large bindis and even long mangalsutras. But after a strong opposition from the workers affiliated to the Hind Mazdoor Kisan Panchayat, the management had to go back on this decision.