Our aims for Health and Social Services 2009-2014
(9 June 2009, Brussels) For the congress period 2009-2014, in the area of health and social services, EPSU have adopted the following resolution:
the resolution affirms:
- the importance of the health care and social services sectors;
- that they serve a public interest first and foremost;
- that the influence of market forces and liberalisation is having a negative impact on working conditions and job security;
- that demographic change and an ageing population will increase demand for these services which must be met by sufficient, motivated well-paid and well-trained staff;
- that change in the organization and provision of these services is causing concern regarding trade union rights and representation.
It calls on EPSU and its affiliates to: - develop and raise a strong trade union profile and voice in public, private and non-profit health and social services:
- offer alternatives to EU market and competition-based initiatives in these areas;
- strengthen industrial relations in health and social services at European, national, regional and local level;
- develop a strategy to protect health and social service workers from inhumane treatment and precarious work; and promote and advocate trade union rights for health and social services workers in the public, private and non-profit sectors.
The resolution was introduced by EPSU Health and Social services vice-chair, Jiří Schlanger (President of the Trade Union of the Health Service and Social Care of the Czech Republic).
The following congress delegates spoke during the debate on the health and social services resolution:
- James Anthony, Unison, UK
- Cat Forsyth, RCN, UK, paragraph 17
- Victoria Koval, CCHWU, Ukraine
- Julie Evans, Unite, UK
- Didier Birig, FPSPSS-FO, France
- Ingrid Frisk, Vårdförbundet, Sweden
- Grete Christensen, DS Denmark
- Francoise Geng CGT France
The congress delegates spoke about the importance of EPSU building alliances with other European health actors. There were reports of some of the challenges faced by healthcare workers, particularly in the east of Europe. Delegates spoke of the good work that EPSU has done on the EU working time directive (of particular importance to healthcare workers), on the European agreement in medical sharps, and on the resistance to European Commission attempts to introduce the healthcare sector to the internal market.
The EPSU secretariat looks forward to working with all our health and social services affiliates to ensure better working conditions for healthcare and social service workers, and to us working together to protect the principles that are the foundation of our healthcare systems.
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