Jan 30, Kandy: District Court Magistrate of Kandy today held that the trade union action taken by the nursing staff of the Peradeniya hospital is illegal and ordered the staff to report back to work with immediate effect.

The judge further held that the recommendations made by the Health Ministry with regard to the use of the disputed room that the nurses and doctors have been fighting for must be adhered.

The Court held this decision when it considered a report filed by the police on behalf of the patients harassed by the unethical trade union action taken by the hospital staff. The Courts summoned 32 nurses, doctors and hospital authorities before the Kandy Magistrate to inquire in to the matter.

The bone of the contention has been the use of a room by the doctors in the operation theatre of the hospital. The nursing staff went on strike four days ago and even stepped away from performing essential and emergency services yesterday. It has been reported that the nursing staff had even cut down the oxygen supply to the intensive care unit putting the patients into great danger.