Charité strike is widening

Charité: strike spreads to other hospital areas

03/05/2011

The strike at the Berlin University Hospital Charité extends to other hospital areas. In addition to the nurses, technical staff and cleaning specialists, the central post office of the clinic is now on strike. Since Monday, more than 2000 hospital employees have been on permanent strike. The operating room operation is almost shut down. Almost all medical interventions were canceled or postponed.

Other hospital areas are solidarising
The strike of the carers and nurses has now joined the post office of the Charité. This could mean more logistical and organizational problems for the clinic. „Today we have gone one better in all areas“, said the chairman of the Verdi operating group at the Charité, Carsten Becker. Due to the strike additional hospital beds would not have been available.

Verdi praises high strike participation
Also on Tuesday, Tuesday, May 3, 2011, the strike of the employees will be continued. "The very high strike participation is a clear sign, which I hope will also be understood by the employer side." Unfortunately, the employers have not taken the opportunity to defuse the tense situation with a negotiable offer, "said Bettina Weitermann, negotiator for the union Verdi. An end to the strike is therefore not in sight.

Emergencies are still cared for
The emergency service agreement negotiated with the clinician before the strike will ensure that all real emergencies and patients are treated with life-threatening illnesses. At all three Charité sites, so-called clearing houses have started work to resolve disputes with employers. Not urgently medically necessary examinations or therapy are not carried out at present.

Tariff alignment required at federal level
Before the strike began, all collective bargaining between the employee and the employer had failed. Since the beginning of the morning shift on Monday, nurses, nurses and medical-technical workers are striking for higher wages. For the employees, the unions demand at least 300 euros gross more, in order to reach a collective agreement on federal level. From the employers' side, so far no offers have been made, according to Verdi. Although one understands the labor dispute, the financial situation does not allow wage adjustments, as it was said.

Further demonstrations planned in the afternoon
As was the case yesterday, the workers in the strike plan to carry out demonstrations today. From the location Virchow Clinic and Charité Mitte will start around 15.30 clock two demonstrations, which meet on the Müller corner Fennstraße. There will be a rally around 4.45pm. Already yesterday, over one thousand strikers had demonstrated for better working conditions and higher wages. (Sb)

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Strike in the Berlin Charité

Photo: verdi / ath-pictures