New research published in "The Lancet" ahead of the COP24 shows that emissions, climate change and rising temperatures are already exposing people around the globe to unacceptably high health risks.
The OPZZ and Solidarnosc trade union confederations have expressed their support for protests by junior doctors over pay and health funding. A hunger strike by a group of junior doctors has been joined by representatives of other medical professions and their key demands are supported by the wider union movement. The unions want to see the proposed law on health sector salaries revised through a proper process of social dialogue to deliver fair and higher salaries for all occupations in the sector.
Nine organisations representing healthworkers, including the OZZPiP nurses' and midwives' union, have come together in a campaign calling for pay increases across the sector. The unions have coordinated a petition that has gathered over 230000 signatures and on 17 July organised a demonstration outside parliament. The unions are arguing for a new pay system with minimum rates for different professions.
On 28 March 2019 EPSU participated, together with its representatives of the two national affiliates from Romania, Sanitas, and Croatia, HSSMS-MT, in the kick-off meeting of the joint HOSPEEM-EPSU project focusing on strengthening social dialogue in the hospital sector that will run in 2019 and 2020.
The OZZPiP nurses' and midwives' union looks set to declare disputes in different regions across the country in a process that could lead to a national strike. The union is angry that legislation on bonuses for work with COVID-19 patients has been amended and could see many nurses lose out if they work with COVID-19 patients but in hospitals that are not designated as COVID-19 facilities. Furthermore, the union is calling for allowances to go to all nurses and midwives that come into contact with COVID-19 patients and not just staff who are specifically assigned to care for these patients
The NIPIP nurses' and midwives' union along with four other organisations representing health professionals has written to the government calling for guarantees that it will cover life insurance costs of health workers who fall ill or die as a result of contracting COVID-19. The organisations say that commitment should be the same as that already made to some hospital health employees. The NIPIP has also recognised the tremendous mental strain faced by many of its members and is providing psychiatric help for those who need it.
Poor treatment of employees, outdated equipment and low quality of services – outsourcing and privatisation of municipal services has similar negative effects whether it takes place in Poland or Norway.
In response to a new government development strategy, the OPZZ trade union confederation has emphasised the need to ensure decent pay in the public services and has expressed concern about government proposals to freeze public sector pay in 2021. OPZZ argues that current levels of pay fail to make the public sector attractive to new recruits and there are problems with fluctuating employment levels while workers face increasing responsibilities and workloads. The confederation underlines the link between quality services and quality employment and the important of effective tax, legal, health
