Reaction of Uk: Health workers' hourly rate led to being outvoted in the KS Government, I will not engage in populism

(Patria) - KS Prime Minister Nihad Uk commented on social media after the KS Government today offered health workers an hourly rate of 3.40 KM and complained that he and the ministers from Naša stranka were outvoted by the other ministers.

"As Prime Minister of Sarajevo Canton, together with colleagues from Naša stranka, Minister of Justice Darja Softić Kadenić and Minister of Communal Economy, Infrastructure and Spatial Planning Bojan Bošnjak, I advocated that the increase in the base should be a maximum of 3.25 KM, in accordance with the valid collective agreement. Our priority was and remains ensuring the quality of health services and the availability of medicines for patients, which we consider key for a stable and sustainable health system.

Despite our efforts, we were outvoted by ministers from coalition parties. I regret this development and the stance taken by our coalition partners," Uk stated.

He emphasizes that he believes it was necessary for the issue of health workers' salaries to be considered within the legally prescribed deadline for negotiations on a new collective agreement, which is in a few months.

"Then, within a broader negotiation process, it would be possible to discuss salary increases and the unions' demands. From April 1, 2022, until today, employed health workers have received a total of three salary increases amounting to 89,000,000.00 KM annually. These are the largest salary increases for health workers in just over two years. The cumulative increase from the signing of the collective agreement in April 2022 until today required approximately 178 million KM in additional funds compared to the funds needed before April 1, 2022. The increases related to the hourly rate, coefficients, and other benefits that are integral parts of the collective agreements signed by the KS Government with health workers' unions.

Our focus must remain on patients, the quality of health services, and the availability of medicines, not on populist moves, especially during the pre-election period. I do not wish to introduce elements of populism into the policies I pursue, but rather responsible decisions that are in the interest of citizens and the sustainability of the health system.

Thank you for your understanding, and I believe we will work together to improve health services for all citizens of Sarajevo Canton," Uk stated.