ZAGREB, Jan 25 (Hina) - Although it was expected that the Health Ministry and the Croatian Doctors' Union would reach an agreement on Saturday and that the doctors' strike would end, negotiations once again returned to the beginning
and the strike is on.
ZAGREB, Jan 25 (Hina) - Although it was expected that the Health
Ministry and the Croatian Doctors' Union would reach an agreement
on Saturday and that the doctors' strike would end, negotiations
once again returned to the beginning and the strike is on. #L#
It was announced negotiations would resume on Monday.
The union asked for a linear pay increase for doctors in the amount
of 2,000 kuna (267 euros) and proposed its own draft of an agreement
minutely regulating doctors' duties and rights, but the ministry
officials turned them down.
Minister Andro Vlahusic said the negotiations had been initiated by
the union which insisted on its own draft of the deal. The draft,
however, has all the elements of a profession's collective
agreement which the government cannot accept as there is no such
agreement for any other profession, he said.
Vlahusic said the agreement drawn up by the ministry included
everything that had been agreed on with the union on Friday. He
added, however, that he could not consent to a 45 percent pay
raise.
The union does not consent to a ten-percent increase even though
last December's figures show that the average doctor's salary was
10,000 kuna (EUR1,333), said Vlahusic. For some doctors the
increase would amount to 20 percent, for example surgeons, brain
surgeons, forensic experts, he said.
The minister reiterated the union was blackmailing the sick and the
government. He vowed to normalise the situation in hospitals,
stating that the number of doctors working normally was
increasing.
Ivica Babic, the union's president, accused Vlahusic of using
misinformation and cheap rhetoric. He said that in future
negotiations the union would seek government guarantees.
Negotiations were easier when Deputy Prime Minister Ante Simonic
was present, Babic concluded.
Doctors went on strike on January 15.
(EUR1 = 7.5 kuna)
(hina) ha sb