The VPOD/SSP public services union is working with other health unions and the SGB/USS trade union confederation to campaign for a major reform of the Swiss healthcare system. The SBK/ASI nurses' association and SVBG/FSAS federation of professional health associations are also supporting the campaign. The unions believe it is possible to move to a more affordable and efficient system with more planning to reduce the costs of what they see as an inequitable and costly system. They are also calling for action on working time and the training and employment of more health specialists. The unions note that in some cases health workers work up to 100 hours a week, go for 31 days without a day off or work night shifts of 18 hours. The unions argue that it is unfair that the only option for some health workers is to suffer a cut in pay by reducing hours in order to ensure their own health.
Read more at > SGB (DE)
And at > USS (FR)
Unions come together in healthcare campaign
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Unions come together to defend the heath service
The nhstogether campaign organised its first major public event on 1 November with a lobby of parliament. The campaign brings together all the health unions in the TUC confederation along with three of the main non-TUC unions representing nurses, midwives and doctors. It is the first time all these organisations have united in a campaign. The unions used the lobby to express their fears of cuts to health service budgets, further privatisation and top-down change without proper consulation. Read more at > nhstogether (EN)
Health unions come together to condemn recruitment freeze
Public service union IMPACT has joined with the Irish Nurses' Organisation and the SIPTU general union in called on the Health Services Executive (HSE) for assurances that certain services will be excluded from a staff recruitment freeze. The unions have also criticised the HSE for failing to undertake proper consultation over the issue. The HSE claims the recruitment freeze is necessary in order to reduce overall spending by the end of the year. The three unions are backed by other health service unions including the craft group of unions, the Medical Laboratory Scientists Association, the