Health initiative blocked in parliament

Austria

The younion trade union reports that a trade union-backed petition calling for better pay and conditions in healthcare has been blocked by a parliamentary committee. The citizens' initiative, supported by over 70,000 signatories, called for action on the major problems facing the sector, including a demand for more training and better pay for trainees, a national assessment of staffing needs and recognition of nursing as an arduous occupation. The parliamentary committee on petitions and citizens' initiatives decided no further action would be taken in response to the petition, despite the pressing need to address staffing shortages. Meanwhile, works council representatives from the vida trade union in religious hospitals in the Upper Austria region met on 29 March to discuss a demand to move to a 35-hour week without loss of pay. The key argument is to make the sector more attractive and to reduce the excessive burdens on employees – essential measures to address the staff shortages across the sector.

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