Unlimited medical strike covers clinics

Since today, around 15,000 doctors have been on a perpetual strike. About 200 of the approximately 700 clinics are affected by the medical strike. A supply for emergencies is guaranteed.

(17.05.2010) As of today, around 15,000 doctors are on permanent strike throughout Germany. About 200 of the approximately 700 clinics nationwide are affected by the medical strike. Without exception, clinics will be taken by local authorities. Doctors are fighting for better hourly pay, especially for night, standby and weekend hours. The main initiator of the medical strike is the "Marburger Bund". A main rally in Munich is planned for the Monday afternoon. On Friday it will be decided if and for how long the strike will continue. Like the doctors' union announced Marburger Bund, will strike until a "constructive negotiation-based idea," the employer is on the table. Otherwise you will not return to the negotiating table. Only in Hamburg and Berlin is not going on strike, because there are separate collective agreements. The doctors demand from the municipalities 5 percent more pay, the municipalities had offered 2.9 percent for 33 months higher pay for on-call services.

What does the medical strike mean for patients and for emergencies?
Many people are asking themselves this question and fear that general care would not be guaranteed. However, the doctors assure that emergency care will take place in all the hospitals under attack. However, it is best to resort to non-municipal, ie private or church hospitals. "The hospitals will be shut down at the weekend level," explains the Federal Chairman of the Marburger Bund, Rudolf Henke. University hospitals are also not going on strike and patients should go there if necessary.

5000 medical centers are unoccupied in hospitals.
A main argument of the union is the acute lack of doctors at the city hospitals. Due to the poor remuneration, over 5,000 jobs in German clinics would already be vacant by now. Henke warned of a massive understaffing in hospitals and reminded that thousands of doctors will retire next year. This can lead to "severe supply bottlenecks", says Henke. Better compensation could again attract more doctors to the clinics. The demands of the doctors are "moderate" and adapted to the current economic situation of the clinics. After all, the situation of hospitals has improved significantly in recent years.

The union "Verdi" is critical of the strike and warns that doctors are over-paid. The operational peace between the individual occupational groups "could be disturbed" warns Verdi department head for health, Günter Busch. In March of this year, Verdi had agreed to raise wages and salaries for nurses and assistants by 2.3 per cent plus a one-off payment in collective bargaining. If the physicians now achieve higher collective agreements, would be like "fire in the shack," said Busch. An end to the doctors strike is not yet in sight and should continue for some time. (Sb)

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