ZAGREB, Jan 30 (Hina) - The government called on doctors on Thursday to stop striking at once and the Croatian Doctors' Union to dialogue in order to resolve problems as partners.
ZAGREB, Jan 30 (Hina) - The government called on doctors on Thursday
to stop striking at once and the Croatian Doctors' Union to dialogue
in order to resolve problems as partners. #L#
Having been briefed about the doctors' strike, now in its third
week, the government at today's session endorsed conclusions
presented by Deputy Prime Minister Ante Simonic.
He said the government was willing to increase doctors' salaries by
an average 10 percent -- in the range between six and 22 percent --
and that funds for this had been secured.
In a week's time the government is willing to sign a branch
collective agreement for the entire health sector and not just
doctors. In two to three weeks the government will complete a
medicine bill and forward it into parliamentary procedure, and by
autumn analyse the coefficients system for doctors and adopt the
best model.
Simonic said it was indisputable that doctors' salaries needed to
be raised but the government could not agree to communicate with
unions on the basis of blackmail, threats or hypocrisy.
"The government has a clear standpoint, it won't bargain, it is
willing to stand behind the things it has said clearly," he said,
adding the government wanted to be a partner and that the doctors'
union should behave constructively.
Prime Minister Ivica Racan said the government was willing to sit
down to talks with doctors' unions and associations but could not
and would not yield to blackmail.
Health Minister Andro Vlahusic said the negotiations between the
ministry and the doctors' union had ended yesterday.
Three other health sector unions accept in its entirety the branch
collective agreement which retains acquired rights, he added.
The doctors' union, however, has said the strike goes on as it wants
to replace the term 'branch' with 'profession'.
"Is this the reason why 4.5 million people can't exercise their
rights to full health care, can the reason for this be the demand to
replace six letters?" wondered Vlahusic.
Stressing that all other union demands had been met, he said he had
wrapped up the negotiations as he "don't know what more I could
do".
He recalled the doctors' strike was now in its third week but that
the situation in hospitals was getting better by the day. He thanked
all doctors who were working.
Commenting on the prime minister's claim that the government would
not yield to blackmail, union leader Babic told Hina it was the
government that was blackmailing Croatia's doctors.
The doctors' union is not blackmailing anyone, he said, stating
that doctors' were on strike because of a social dispute and that
throughout the negotiations they had been willing to make a
compromise.
Babic said the union expected to be invited to further
negotiations.
The strike is on and the union's strike committee will decide about
further action on Saturday, Babic told Hina.
(hina) ha sb