Organisations representing medical workers and their members are committed to go on strike and join the protest planned by teachers in April, said President of Latvian Medical Association (LAB) Ilze Aizsilniece.
She said the lacking funding towards patient care and medicines, as well as the meager pay increase will not change anything for the country’s healthcare sector that has been on a diet funding-wise for the past 30 years.
«It does not even cover inflation and does not bring us any closer to the average level of our neighbours – Estonia and Lithuania – or Europe,» said Aizsilniece.
This is why healthcare workers’ organisations and their members are ready to protest, as well as invite all residents to join the fight for modern and affordable healthcare for everyone.
As previously reported, starting with the 1st of April 2023 the average wages of medical workers will be increased by EUR 120. This means doctors’ average pay will increase by 6.1%, the pay of nurses, midwives and assistant doctors will increase by 10.1%, and the pay of junior staff will increase by 16.1%.
Wages of healthcare workers who are not medical staff will see wage increase of EUR 22.76.
It was also reported that the Latvian Association of Education and Science Workers (LIZDA) has plans to organise a protest on the 24th of April, as well as commence a nation-wide strike of Latvian teachers. LIZDA is unhappy that the Latvian government has failed to fulfil the promises previously given to teachers and comply with existing regulations.
Considering that the previously planned strike never happened because politicians offered a deal, LIZDA manager Inga Vanaga stressed the new protest demonstration will happen regardless of the government complying with demands. The strike may not happen if politicians offer solutions in the last moment, because in this case there is no legal reason for the strike to happen.
Vanaga stressed the planned protest will happen with support and participation from other NGOs.
Also read: Lithuanian MPs want to declare the Communist Party a criminal organization