SANITAS begins general strike in the public health system
“Dear colleagues, starting today, we are on strike. Together,” announced Iulian Pope, president of the SANITAS Federation, in a message posted on Facebook on Tuesday.
He argued that the demands of healthcare workers are not privileges, but rather concern working conditions, pay, and the functioning of the public system.
“What we are asking of politicians are not privileges. We are asking for responsibility toward the people who work in healthcare and toward patients. We are asking them to understand that the healthcare system cannot be run against the very people who keep it going,” said Iulian Pope.
Employees from over 400 hospitals across the country are participating in the general strike.
Emergency care and mandatory medical services will be provided during the strike. According to SANITAS, healthcare facilities will maintain at least one-third of their normal operations so that patients’ lives and health are not endangered.
Several hospitals have announced that operations will continue as usual in essential departments, such as emergency rooms, intensive care units, dialysis units, oncology units, and on-call rooms. Some non-urgent appointments and services may be rescheduled.
Union representatives are calling for a fair pay law, negotiated with labor unions, that would eliminate disparities between professional categories and not result in a decrease in income.
SANITAS also objects to changes in the allowances granted for occupational hazards, night work, weekend shifts, and work on public holidays. The federation maintains that over 30% of healthcare system employees could lose their allowances, even though their working conditions remain unchanged.
The federation is also calling for a lifting of the hiring freeze. According to union representatives, staff shortages lead to shifts that are difficult to cover, employee burnout, and less time spent with patients.
Among their demands are improved working conditions, protection for administrative staff and social workers, as well as consultation with unions before decisions affecting employees are made.
SANITAS maintains that the strike will continue until the government resumes negotiations and presents a draft salary law developed in collaboration with employee representatives.
The federation has also reported pressure being exerted on employees who announced their intention to participate in the strike. According to SANITAS, the management of some facilities has reportedly demanded lists of strikers’ names with the intent of suspending their employment contracts.
Union representatives assert that a contract may be suspended only during the period in which the employee is actually participating in the strike, not before the protest begins.
The general strike was preceded by a warning strike on July 20, which lasted two hours and took place in over 480 healthcare facilities across the country.