Nearly 4,000 Healthcare Workers in HNK Begin General Strike Today

(Patria) - The Municipal Court in Mostar did not ban healthcare workers in the Herzegovina-Neretva Canton (HNK) from holding a general strike, after a complete check and review of documentation.

This information was confirmed by the President of the HNK Healthcare Workers' Union, Dalibor Vuković. This means that this morning at 8:00 AM, nearly 4,000 healthcare workers - from cleaners to masters of pharmacy - will go on a general strike.

- We are going on strike on Monday at 8:00 AM, and we received a notice from the court that a hearing is scheduled for 9:15 AM, where both sides will present their evidence and discuss the security measure. Only the protest is postponed, as union representatives will participate in the hearing that day - Vuković explained.

The Union states that the strike will most affect patients, as only emergency cases will be admitted.

- Doctors will work, and our union members will only perform tasks that are contracted in public health institutions through agreements on jobs that are not interrupted during the strike. This means that only emergency cases will be admitted, while other workers come to work but do not perform their duties - Vuković noted.

The HNK Healthcare Workers' Union had been trying for months to negotiate the signing of an annex to the collective agreement with the HNK Government and the Ministry of Health. Due to failed negotiations, workers have already held protests twice, demanding salary increases.

We remind you that the unions of doctors of medicine and dentistry, as well as healthcare workers in HNK, signed collective agreements for a fixed period during 2023. The contract for doctors expires this month, while the contract for healthcare workers lasts until December.

The stance of the HNK Government was that new rights cannot be sought while the collective agreement is in effect. However, in the meantime, the rights of doctors of medicine and dentistry were increased twice, even though their contract had not expired. This caused dissatisfaction among other healthcare workers, who are now demanding the same rights.

The HNK Minister of Health, Milenko Bevanda, previously stated that healthcare workers have no right to salary increases or a general strike.

- Our opinion is that they made no procedural mistakes, but we believe they have no reason for a general strike because the current collective agreement is valid until December 1 - Bevanda said.

Despite this, the strike begins today, and healthcare workers say they will not give up on their demands for better working conditions and higher salaries.