Agreement reached, doctors in Tuzla Canton withdraw resignations

TUZLA, (Patria) - The doctors' strike in Tuzla Canton (TK) will end on Monday, and resignations from employment contracts will be withdrawn, it was agreed today in Tuzla, during a break in the emergency session of the cantonal Assembly, which is meeting precisely on this occasion. 

The President of the Assembly informed the deputies that a compromise had been reached.

It was agreed that the Professional Union of Doctors of Medicine and Dentistry of TK will use the representativeness of the federal union, as it is its member, until the conclusion of court proceedings.

The Union emphasizes that they are satisfied with the current agreement, but that they will continue the fight for their rights, i.e., recognition of representativeness.

We remind you that due to the failure to reach an agreement with the cantonal government, around 700 doctors have signed resignations in the past three days.

Doctors gathered in this union demanded that their representativeness be recognized so that, as they say, they can decide on their own behalf and be equal with colleagues from other cantons.

This has averted the collapse of the healthcare system in the most populous canton in the Federation of BiH.

In his address to the deputies, the Minister of Health of TK, Bahrudin Hadžiefendić, pointed out that the government's negotiating team had earlier offered both unions an increase in the lowest net hourly wage to 2.41 BAM.

He added that both unions agreed when it comes to material status, but the problem of representativeness remained.

Hadžiefendić reminded that in certain healthcare institutions, patients are feeling the consequences of the strike that has been ongoing for four weeks.

He stated that the Ministry had received numerous complaints, especially regarding therapies for chronic patients, and called on all medical workers to provide services to those who need them.