The strike of the Union of Doctors and Nurses in the Croatian hospital healthcare system has begun, demanding a new collective agreement that would increase the amounts of allowances for overtime, on-call duty, and standby.
Two attempts at mediation and the continuation of negotiations have failed as doctors demand the signing of the collective agreement that they submitted to Minister Rajko Ostojić 42 days ago. He refuses it, claiming that it is an illegal agreement that was overturned by the County Court.
When negotiations will resume is still unknown. The Ministry of Health has stated that hospitals will provide basic healthcare as well as emergency interventions. Those who have scheduled appointments but will not be seen should contact the Ministry’s white phone, which will reach out to everyone whose healthcare has been canceled after the strike and try to arrange the earliest possible new appointment.
The doors of all family doctors will remain open, regardless of the strike by colleagues in hospitals. Whether it is a simple headache, a virus, or dressing wounds, patients will not be turned away in general practice offices.
Healthcare services will also be provided in some city hospitals. The director of Srebrnjak in Zagreb, Boro Nogalo, is convinced that there will be no strike as they are taking care of children.
Doctors and nurses in the Croatian Institute for Transfusion will also not strike.
The Ministry still believes there is no reason for the announced strike of doctors and nurses, especially considering the Ministry’s readiness to continue social dialogue and negotiations, as well as general agreement with all the union’s demands.
