Health workers gathered again on Thursday afternoon to protest in front of hospitals and health facilities. The “Health Offensive”, an association of the Chambers of Labor and Physicians as well as the trade unions in the health and long-term care sector, called for this. At the same time, a parliamentary citizens’ initiative was launched that calls for better working conditions and fair pay for all employees.
The actions took place again on Thursday afternoon under the motto “It’s five past 12” in front of hospitals and health facilities throughout Austria, the largest in front of the AKH in Vienna. “Enough,” the demonstrators announced in front of the AKH. About 100 people from different professions stopped work for the protest. They drew attention to their concerns with whistles and posters.
Already last November, the employees had demanded a training reform, fair wages and more staff in a similar campaign under the same motto. And because they do not feel that politicians have heard them enough, representatives of the “Health Offensive” handed over a so-called “hazard report” to Health Minister Wolfgang Mückstein (Greens) in December about the overloading of the health and care system. It warned that “an adequate supply of the population can no longer be guaranteed under the current circumstances.”
After the last action, the media echo was great, emphasized those gathered on Thursday in front of the AKH. However, one waits in vain for improvements, after which “nothing happened”. In short speeches, the representatives of the “Health Offensive” emphasized their demands. Edgar Martin from the union younion said the federal government shouldn’t hide. Every signature on the citizens’ initiative is an important voice for health. The representative of the Chamber of Labour, Silvia Rosoli, took a similar line. Training and working conditions must be improved, the reforms required are “investments in people”.
With the parliamentary citizens’ initiative that has now been launched, the National Council is being asked to take immediate measures to finally end the acute crisis in the health care system and long-term care. “It’s 5 past 12. Empty beds in hospitals and nursing homes and long waiting times for mobile nursing and care services show the supply crisis due to the acute shortage of staff,” said the “Offensive Gesundheit”.
Since adequate care for the population can no longer be guaranteed under the current circumstances, the citizens’ initiative immediately calls for more financial resources for the healthcare system and the expansion of long-term care, as well as the filling of vacant positions and an additional increase in staff. Furthermore, more training places and the inclusion of care in the heavy labor regulation are demanded.
You can now download the corresponding form from the website www.offensivegesundheit.at and support the citizens’ initiative with your signature. In a second step, as soon as the citizens’ initiative with this initial support has been submitted to Parliament, it will also be possible to sign digitally.
Support for the demands has already come from the curia of employed doctors of the Vienna Medical Association in a resolution. Medical Association President Thomas Szekeres also supports the concerns “fully”. The Austrian social economy (SWÖ), the employers’ association of social and healthcare companies, was largely in agreement with the demands of the “Health Offensive”.