Sat Dec 27 14:58:28 UTC 2025: ## Kerala to Revise Minimum Wages for Private Hospital Workers Amidst Management Stalemate
Thiruvananthapuram, December 27, 2025 – The Kerala government will issue a draft notification within a month to revise minimum wages for employees in the state’s private hospital sector, Labour Minister V. Sivankutty announced Saturday. The move comes after talks through the Minimum Wages Committee stalled due to what the Minister characterized as non-cooperation from management representatives.
Minister Sivankutty directed the Secretary, Labour, to publish the draft in the official gazette, citing Section 5(1)(b) of the Minimum Wages Act, 1948, which empowers the government to directly notify revised wages. A government-constituted committee had been gathering evidence and holding discussions since October 2023 to revise wages, but no consensus was reached.
According to the Minister, most private hospitals are currently paying wages based on the 2013 notification, which are insufficient considering the present cost of living. He emphasized the government’s responsibility to ensure fair wages for workers and stated that discussions could not be prolonged indefinitely. Trade unions had already agreed to a department-level proposal recommending a 60% wage hike based on the 2013 notification.
The Minister also clarified that the proposed revision would not impose an additional financial burden on hospitals. The government will consider demands raised by various professional bodies, including the Indian Association of Physiotherapists, Kerala Private Pharmacists Association, Indian Society of Radiographers and Technologists, and the Indian Speech Language and Hearing Association, while issuing the draft notification.
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