- Verdi: First MHH workers to quit
In a dispute over a relief staff agreement, some employees of the Hannover Medical School have temporarily gone on strike. This was confirmed by a spokesperson for the Verdi union. The union has submitted demands for a relief staff agreement to the MHH presidency on May 8th, with a deadline having passed. Verdi has called for a warning strike.
According to the Hannover Medical School, this means restrictions. Planned operations, inpatient admissions, and outpatient treatments could be postponed. However, emergency patients "will still be treated adequately."
Initially, a limited warning strike is planned, with no significant impacts expected, Verdi announced. Participation figures were not available initially. The union expects the Lower Saxony state government to open up the path for wage negotiations.
A supplementary regulation is being demanded, with a relief staff agreement aiming to provide needs-based staffing levels. Additionally, a workload balance through free days should be implemented when agreed staffing levels are not met.
Verdi maintains its demand for a collective agreement. Earlier statements from the MHH indicated that as a state-run institution, it cannot set its own wage regulations. The MHH presidency has offered an agreement on relief measures, which was rejected.
Verdi's sector head David Matrai explained that a service agreement differs from a collective agreement - it is less reliable, and the union is not involved. "Therefore, we reject a Lower Saxony special way and insist on our demand for a collective agreement," he said.
The ongoing dispute at the Hannover Medical School involves demands for a relief staff agreement in the nursing professions, as stated by Verdi. Implementing a supplementary regulation with a relief staff agreement would provide needs-based staffing levels and implement workload balance through free days.
