Greece
(October 2016) The POEDHN health workers' union, supported by the ADEDY civil service federation, organised a caravan of health across Athens on 6 October. The march took in the major hospitals in the country and ended up at the ministry of health calling for urgent action to increase funding for the service which has been badly hit by austerity measures, with major problems of understaffing.
Public services union JHL and other unions in the state sector have called for the state productivity scheme to be abandoned. The scheme was set up in 2003 and initially had trade union support in that its aim was to increase productivity in response to the need to adjust to the ageing of the workforce. However, now the unions argue that the scheme is focusing on cutting jobs and even quote management consultant reports that claim that job cuts can undermine public sector productivity. Read more at > JHL (EN)
A new report from municipal services union Kommunal reveals how the pandemic affected workers across the sectors in which it organises. Based on interviews with nurses, cleaners, paramedics, caretakers and other workers, the report confirms the huge impact on healthcare where workers’ efforts have been central to the management of the pandemic. Employees have had to make huge sacrifices, working extra shifts, double shifts and overtime, with many authorities having to hire temporary staff, get pensioners back to work and with staff having holidays cancelled or being transferred to different
The EIRO industrial relations observatory reports that healthcare workers organised a national demonstration in April to support their demand for a 30% pay increase. Although the government has not rejected demands for higher pay completely it argues that its 2006 budget doesn't allow for any increase and so any possibility for higher pay will have to wait until 2007. Read more at > EIRO
