The Doctors Trade Union Association (LOZ) has announced a strike alert as of Tuesday. They want to settle the situation radically if no action is taken against the collapse of the health care system, Association representatives told a news conference on the same day.
The trade unionists declared that if nothing changes, they might begin refusing overtime work in hospitals above limits or give mass notices. "We'll choose the way in line with the results of an inquiry we're launching among hospital doctors all over Slovakia," they added.
According to Association chair Peter Visolajsky, their next steps depend on the government's reaction. "At the moment we hope that none of these scenarios will become real and that the government will start addressing the problems of our hospitals," he said. If nothing changes, their next steps should be decided by June. Doctors’ trade unions have put forward eight proposals and requirements that they view as needed if the condition of hospitals in Slovakia is to be improved. These concern chiefly the financing of hospitals, the reform of the health insurance system, the remuneration of doctors and increasing nurses' salaries.
