The issue of a wage hike for nurses and other para medical staff dragged, as private hospital managements sought to reject the Balaraman panel report.
The third meeting of the Industrial Relations Committee (IRC), constituted to recommend a package to improve service conditions of nurses and others, ended in a deadlock on Tuesday.
Following this, labour minister Shibu Baby John warned the managements that the government would have no go other than taking a unilateral decision if no consensus emerged by August 31.
According to sources, the meeting held in the capital witnessed heated arguments between representatives of trade unions and managements.
“The managements sought the rejection of the Balaraman report claiming that its implementation would lead to closure of hospitals. This was opposed tooth and nail by the labour unions,” said a source.