Doctors and dentists in Slovenia begin strike, will only provide emergency services

(Patria) - Doctors and dentists in Slovenia began a strike this morning, demanding higher salaries and for the salary system for doctors and dentists to be separate and independent of the general public sector salary system.

The Slovenian Doctors' Trade Union Fides announced that the strike will last until the demands are met, RTV Slovenia reported.

Member of the Fides trade union strike committee Ana Lina Vodušek said they are tired of the authorities' deception, that doctors are outraged because no positive changes have been implemented in public healthcare and because of the continued departure of staff.

The main reason for the strike is the failure of the Government to fulfill obligations from already signed agreements. This concerns the delay in creating salaries for healthcare, which should regulate the specifics of the work of doctors, nurses, and other healthcare workers, and the salary scale should also be adjusted to the work and complexity of healthcare professions.

They also demand the elimination of salary disparities that arose after an intervention in the salary system when the salaries of young doctors were increased, but not those of older ones, Slovenian media report.

The Slovenian Government called on the Fides healthcare workers' trade union to cease strike activities and continue negotiations to find a compromise. Negotiations will begin at 12:00 PM.

Vodušek expressed in a statement to the media the desire for changes to begin "immediately and right away and for the authorities to start taking us seriously, as equal partners".

According to her, they want the Government to consider what has already been agreed upon and signed in previous negotiations.

During the strike, only emergency medical services will be provided, as well as services whose omission in the short term would lead to irreparable serious harm to health or death. This includes, for example, the treatment of fevers and infections, injuries and poisonings, as well as all measures for the prevention and control of infectious diseases.