Midwives strike in March

24/02/2011

The initiative „Midwives for Germany“ calls in March for the midwives in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) on strike. After several strikes in Berlin and Baden-Württemberg, the protests are now continuing in North Rhine-Westphalia.

The background is the worsened conditions for freelance midwives. In July of last year, the liability premiums for midwives had massively increased. After the protest of the midwives, an arbitral tribunal had been called to mediate between the health insurance central associations and the midwives associations. As a conclusion, the midwives for a birth within a clinic received eight euros and for births outside a clinic 100 euros more.

Since then, the situation has worsened for midwives who have bedding and freelance midwives. About 10% of the midwives offering midwifery and midwifery terminated their existing contracts in July last year. The tendency should be rising. In addition, almost every third birth in Germany is now a cesarean section.

The initiative „Midwives for Germany“ points out that fewer and fewer women are able to reliably plan the birth of their child on the spot with a midwife they are familiar with, because of the increasingly negative conditions. Even at the Health Ministers' Conference in early July 2010, midwives were one of the agenda items, but the previous positive signals were not reflected in decisions in favor of freelance midwife work. Demanded now the policy mean the midwives. But by Federal Health Minister Philipp Rösler (FDP) came so far no reaction. Neither an online petition initiated by the midwives' associations nor an open letter could make any difference to the worsening situation.

The midwives plan the kick-off event for the strike in NRW on February 26 in Bonn under the motto „Carnival of storks - red long legs conquer the hearts“ perform. For this, the local midwives center and the midwife district association with a stork base group will be involved „Long red legs“ participate in the Veedels train and „kamelle“, Distribute Haribo and informational material to the public. Pregnant women, young families and interested people should be familiarized with the concerns of midwives and current developments. On the website of the Midwife Initiative there is more information and templates for protest letters. (Tf)

Also read:
Warning of midwife shortage
Midwives: Open letter to the Minister of Health
Midwives: No obstetric perspective?

Image: Protest logo of the initiative