ZAGREB, Jan 22 (Hina) - Three health sector unions which, together with the Croatian Doctors' Union are negotiating a branch collective agreement, do not support requests for a 45 percent increase in doctors' pays.
ZAGREB, Jan 22 (Hina) - Three health sector unions which, together
with the Croatian Doctors' Union are negotiating a branch
collective agreement, do not support requests for a 45 percent
increase in doctors' pays. #L#
Such requests are unrealistic in the current economic situation and
an attack on other health sector employees, say the Croatian Trade
Union of Nurses and Medical Technicians, the Independent Union of
Employees in Health Care, Retirement and Disability Insurance and
Social Protection Services of Croatia, and the Union of Employees
in Health Care, Social Protection and Retirement and Disability
Insurance Services of Croatia.
These three unions, which number around 40,000 of the sector's
60,000 employees, say the solution lies in adopting as soon as
possible a branch collective agreement which will define the
interests of all health professions.
"We cannot support the requests for a 45 percent increase although
we are aware that doctors are the linchpins of the health sector.
However, health work is team work, interrelated, so other
professions are entitled to higher salaries too," said Zdenka
Gizdic, president of the union which gathers 13,500 of all 20,000
nurses and medical technicians.
Gizdic said 80 percent of the branch collective agreement had been
harmonised thus far and that signing might ensue in two to three
weeks.
(hina) ha sb