Staffing levels, Social Dialogue, Slovenia, Germany
Strikes and protests over staffing levels
Member of the services union ver.di working in several hospitals across the country took strike action on 19 September as part of the union's campaign on safe staffing levels and reducing workloads. EPSU general secretary Jan Willem Goudriaan sent a message of support, underlining the importance of protecting the well-being of both health workers and patients by taking urgent action to reduce staff shortages in the sector estimated at over 160000, including over 70000 frontline care workers.
Social partnership solutions and good practice models to reduce psychosocial risks and burdens in health care
EPSU has supported a transnational project involving EPSU affiliates from six countries to promote social partnership solutions and good practice models to reduce psychosocial risks and burdens in health care.
Capacity building project for the hospital sector in Central, East and Southern Europe started
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.
Union calls for urgent action on health and care staffing
Following a government report on nursing and care, services union ver.di has called for urgent action for a long-term solution to understaffing across health and care institutions, particularly in light of the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. In conjunction with hospital and care associations the union has already put forward a process for assessing staffing needs in hospitals and says that an academic proposal for evaluating staffing levels in eldercare has identified the need for an extra 100000 staff. Ver.di argues that measures are needed on training and pay and working conditions. It
Trade unions back major protest over government policy
The main trade union confederations are taking part in the major national demonstration on 28 May. The unions are particularly concerned about the government’s refusal to engage in meaningful social dialogue and to consult trade unions over key pieces of legislation. The unions are also raising concerns about government plans on tax and other measures that mainly benefit the rich and risk undermining the welfare state. EPSU sent messages of solidarity.
Health and social care workers demonstrate
Services union ver.di coordinated demonstrations across the country on 16 June to coincide with a meeting of health ministers. In the lead up to the general election in September, the union has been determined to show members’ anger over the failure to deliver improved working conditions for health and social care employees. A survey of over 12000 workers commissioned by ver.di revealed that 78% could not imagine staying in their profession until retirement under current conditions. Almost three quarters of respondents reported excessive workloads and understaffing. The union is concerned
Health unions criticise lack of social dialogue and block on unions
Health unions came together with representatives of trade union confederations to criticise a proposed amendment to the Health Care and Insurance Act. The unions argue that the amendment is effectively revenge for recent trade union protests against government policy and that it will deny trade unions and workers representation on health institution management bodies. Trade unions and confederations across all sectors have been engaged in protests over the refusal of the government to engage in social dialogue. This is just the latest example of the government failing to consult and putting
Strike planned for Berlin hospitals
The ver.di services union has called a three-day warning strike from 23 August in the hospitals in Berlin run by the regional government’s Charité group, including its Vivantes subsidiaries. The union gave the employer 100 days to initiate collective bargaining to tackle overwork by hospital employees and trainees and to bring pay in line with the public service collective agreement in all Vivantes subsidiaries. The strike will go ahead if the deadline of 20 August is missed. Ver.di says that Charité has failed to make any serious offer and it has called on the employer to conclude agreements