ZAGREB, Jan 21 (Hina) - Health Minister Andro Vlahusic on Tuesday accused the Doctors' Union (HLS) of having blackmailed the Croatian government by insisting on a 45-percent rise in doctors' salaries.
ZAGREB, Jan 21 (Hina) - Health Minister Andro Vlahusic on Tuesday
accused the Doctors' Union (HLS) of having blackmailed the Croatian
government by insisting on a 45-percent rise in doctors' salaries.
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Such an increase would destroy the entire system of wages in the
public sector, the minister said at a session of the parliamentary
committee on labour, social policy and public health.
Union leader Ivica Babic responded that 7,000 doctors were not
misled naive persons, accusing Vlahusic of the authoritative
behaviour and of holding a monologue.
Babic told the committee that doctors insisted only on their social
rights, negotiations on the professional collective agreement and
an increase in the pay for their regular work.
The demands refer to an increase in wages of interns (coming to
7,000 kuna or 933 euros) twice the amount of the average salary in
Croatia, while the specialists' wage should amount to 9,000 kuna
(EUR1,200).
Babic compared doctors' wages with those of judges, adding that a
judge at a magistrate's court has the coefficient of 3.11 for the
calculation of his salary, while a doctor's is 1.71, and judges at
the county court have the 4.55 coefficient while doctors
specialists have the 2.0 coefficient.
The union's leader said the duty of every doctor on strike was to be
in their workplace and treat all patients whose life was in danger.
Only operations and examination, which were scheduled earlier,
have been postponed, he added.
Minister Vlahusic said the 45-percent increase in doctors'
salaries would mean that 75-85 percent of funds allocated for
hospitals would have to go only for wages. In late November,
hospitals had debts of 1.6 billion kuna towards suppliers.
He added that the government offered a 10-percent rise in doctors'
pays with the increases between six and 20 percent for specific
conditions in the workplace, and negotiations with unions were
being held on a basic collective agreement.
The HLS overstepped its authorities when it called on citizens not
to go to hospitals, the minister added.
In case that somebody suffers due to a doctor's failure to provide
adequate care, the doctor will be held liable and may expect
criminal charges, Vlahusic said.
(hina) ms sb