Cantonal Hospital Zenica: Agreement on salaries reached, but strike not cancelled

A potential strike by healthcare workers who are members of the Independent Trade Union of Public Health Institution Cantonal Hospital Zenica is a topic that concerns the citizens of Zenica-Doboj Canton. The President of the Hospital Organization of the Independent Trade Union, doc. dr. sci. Ermin Čehić, says that the strike of more than 1,300 members of the Cantonal Hospital Zenica was announced back in March of this year when a regulation with reduced salary coefficients was adopted.

He stated that they had submitted remarks on the Rulebook of Work, but they were not adopted.

In those remarks, it was requested that we retain the so-called "old" coefficients along with the new hourly rate. The Hospital Management did not adopt our remarks during the drafting of the Rulebook, so the employees received new contracts with reduced coefficients. Because of this, the Presidency of the Independent Trade Union of the Hospital initiated legal procedures to commence a general strike of the Independent Trade Union members of our organization at the Cantonal Hospital Zenica.

Patria: But the director of the Cantonal Hospital Zenica stated that he accepts your request and will return the "old" coefficients?

At the initiative of the Presidency of our Trade Union and the present delegates, I requested a meeting with the hospital director on Tuesday. He accepted, and based on the vote of all delegates, I requested that the return of the "old" coefficients be accepted as the sole condition, and that we will continue negotiations on other demands of the Independent Trade Union through the Peace Council, which is mandatory within the framework of strike preparations. On Wednesday, we submitted the request for which all delegates and members of the Strike Committee, as well as members of the Presidency of the hospital trade union, voted. Yesterday, the management of the Public Health Institution Cantonal Hospital Zenica confirmed in writing that they accept our request.

Patria: If the management of the Public Health Institution Cantonal Hospital Zenica accepted the Independent Trade Union's request to return the "old" coefficients, why did you not make a decision to cancel the general strike at the Hospital?

Because we want the agreement to be fulfilled. We are aware that it can only be fulfilled from the funds provided for in the budget for 2018 and that it will become active for the January salary, if the budget, or rather the supplementary budget, is adopted by the Cantonal Assembly. The proposal for the supplementary budget is submitted by the Cantonal Government, and that is why we have not cancelled the general strike. But it is important that we have achieved that the Hospital management is now requesting the return of the "old" coefficients for all employees of the Public Health Institution Cantonal Hospital Zenica.

Patria: So, the announced salary increase by the Doctors' Trade Union of 15% starting gradually from 2018 depends on whether the budget or supplementary budget is adopted?

Of course, that was also stated during the agreement between our Independent Trade Union and the management. After all, no agreement or contract has been signed with the Doctors' Trade Union, and it is not possible to have two Rulebooks at the Cantonal Hospital Zenica, which would be the case if a contract with the Doctors' Trade Union were signed.

Patria: Why did the Doctors' Trade Union distance itself from your strike, and did they request a salary increase for the members of the Independent Trade Union, i.e., other non-medical staff at the Hospital?

The Doctors' Trade Union did not request a salary increase for other non-medical staff, only for doctors. As for why that is the case and why they distanced themselves, you must ask the Presidency of that trade union. I think they issued some statement regarding that.

Patria: If the management agreed to increase the coefficients for non-medical staff at the Hospital, does that mean there will not be enough money in the supplementary budget to increase the salaries of doctors by the announced 15%?

You see, our Independent Trade Union requested that the "old" coefficients be returned to all employees at the Hospital, including doctors. So, the salary increase would apply to all employees of the Public Health Institution Cantonal Hospital Zenica and would amount to about 7 to 8%.

Patria: So, the Independent Trade Union and you as President are seeking an equal salary increase for everyone?

Exactly. It is not right for salary increases to go only to us doctors, while the coefficients for other non-medical staff at the Hospital are reduced. This is because the calculation for performed healthcare services provided by the Public Health Institution Cantonal Hospital Zenica recognizes only the team as the service provider. And the team includes doctors and nurses/technicians, as well as other non-medical staff who service such services (cooks, drivers, maintenance workers...).

After all, it would not be right from a moral and social standpoint either, as it concerns more than 1,300 people who are not doctors but work at the Public Health Institution Cantonal Hospital Zenica.

Patria: What is the next step?

The Independent Trade Union of the Public Health Institution Cantonal Hospital Zenica continues preparations for a potential strike. We are currently awaiting a response from the Cantonal Government because we have requested that they provide us with a list of members of the Peace Council, which, according to the Law on Strikes, must mediate before the start of a general strike. Namely, our Canton does not yet have an appointed Peace Council. In parallel with this, we will conduct negotiations on other remarks on the Rulebook. At the same time, arbitration has been underway for three days to determine the mode of operation of the Hospital within the Public Health Institution Cantonal Hospital Zenica under conditions of a general strike. The continuation of the arbitration is on Monday, and the continuation of negotiations on amending the Rulebook will be scheduled for next week.

Patria: Nevertheless, a strike by healthcare workers is unpopular and an extreme solution. Are you doing everything in negotiations to avoid it?

We are aware of the trade union's responsibility during a strike. We are also aware that during a strike, hours and days spent on strike will not be paid. We are also aware that patients are already complaining about it. After all, follow the situation in Sarajevo, where less than 50% of employees are on strike (the Clinical Center University of Sarajevo is not on strike), and dissatisfaction from the population and certain citizen associations is already emerging. But we simply must fight to achieve minimal social rights for over 1,300 workers who, for 10 years, have been the only ones not receiving holiday bonuses in the Canton.

Nevertheless, we hope that we will honor the agreement reached yesterday with the management and successfully complete the negotiations on amending the Rulebook of our institution so that a strike, which no one wants, does not occur.