Nursing staff - Strike action started at Asklepios clinic in Pasewalk
In the fight for better working conditions, a warning strike began at the Asklepios-Clinic in Pasewalk. Approximately 65 non-medical employees participated in the demonstration on a Wednesday morning, as Verdi spokesperson Friedrich Gottschewski reported. The strikers are demanding higher wages.
A strike is also planned for this week on Thursday, as well as from Tuesday to Thursday in the coming week. The union Verdi had called for the five-day strike because, according to the employer's statements, they had rejected negotiation offers. The clinic management was initially unreachable on Wednesday.
400 employees without collective bargaining agreement
To ensure emergency coverage, only one or two people per station are allowed to strike, according to Gottschewski. In total, he stated that around 400 employees in the clinic are paid without a collective bargaining agreement. Since the privatization of the former district hospital Pasewalk over 20 years ago, there has been no collective bargaining agreement for nursing staff, according to Gottschewski. Doctors, on the other hand, are paid under collective bargaining agreements.
In the coming week, Gottschewski expects bed blockades. This would be unique in the region, as this measure has not been used in recent years. From Tuesday onwards, beds will be locked step by step - up to 40 percent. This should relieve the pressure on staff on site and increase pressure on the employer.
The strikes are taking place at hospitals in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, specifically at the Asklepios-Clinic in Pasewalk, Germany. The United Services Union, represented by spokesperson Friedrich Gottschewski, is leading the fight for improved working conditions and higher wages for the nursing staff. The strikes are causing concerns about health services in the region, as only a limited number of employees are allowed to participate in the demonstrations to ensure emergency coverage. Despite the ongoing strikes, the employer has yet to accept negotiation offers, leading to tension and escalation of the situation. The union is planning further measures, including bed blockades, which could be a first for the region in recent years, as a way to put pressure on the employer to reach an agreement.
