Latvia
Thousands of health care workers protested outside Parliament to demand an increase in wages. Around 2,500 health workers from all over Latvia held posters with slogans like “Unfreeze the wages — freeze the ministers,” “Down with poverty.”
Read more at > Baltic Times (EN)
The LVSADA health workers’ union, supported by associations representing doctors and nurses, organised a warning strike and protest on 27 July, arguing that the government had failed to meet commitments to increase pay. The union says that a 10% increase should have been paid on 1 July on the current salaries of €1963 for doctors, €1183 for nurses, midwives and other professionals and €745 for support staff. LVSADA further argues that the government has also failed to meet a commitment from 2017 that would have seen these salaries reach €2327, €1396 and €931 respectively. Depending on the
The Health Workers' Union of Ukraine has called a national demonstration on 12 September in protest at the government's failure to respond to a labour dispute raised by the union last year. The union is claiming a general rise for all healthworkers as well as resolution of an issue relating to highly skilled workers' pay. The demonstration will also highlight the need to increase health sector funding and will protest against government plans for restructuring and to cut hospital beds.
Health unions have been continuing demonstrations across the country to put pressure on the government to honour previously agreed pay increases. The current sector collective agreement included pay increases of 3% on 1 August and 4% on 1 October. The government said it would not to pay the increases but following negotiations with the unions it now looks possible that a 7% increase will be confirmed. A meeting between unions and the government was due on 13 September with the unions threatening strike action if there was no agreement.
