BRATISLAVA, October 12, (WEBNOVINY) — Chairman of the Medical Trade Unions Association Marian Kollar said on Wednesday that doctors are not going to withdraw their employment termination notices. “There is no reason”, Kollar said one day after the collapse of Iveta Radicova’s government. According to him, doctors have their demands that are not related to the fact who is in government, or whether there is a government at all. Kollar expects that someone will have to lead the Health Ministry and with that person they want to continue bargaining.
Kollar pointed out that thereare only six weeks left, as the notice period of 2,400 doctors expires in late November. Kollar did not want to comment on the possibility that talks on the future political arrangement of the country may take longer and trade unions will not have a relevant partner for talks. He expects the person who will take over the Health Ministry to immediately start negotiations with doctors. Kollar believes that replacement to Health Minister Ivan Uhliarik (KDH) will be more forthcoming and an agreement will be worked out.
As of October 1, 2,411 doctors from 34 hospitals all over Slovakia have submitted notices, which is about one-third of the overall number of doctors. Among the hospitals are all major faculty hospitals, but also smaller hospitals and facilities operating as joint-stock companies.
The Medical Trade Unions Association has four demands on the government: to observe the Labor Code, change the system of health care funding, stop transformation of hospitals to joint-stock companies, and increase wages of health care employees. The doctors perceive all their requirements as a complex and demand fulfillment of them all.
SITA