The Government is offering disgruntled nurses a salary guarantee in the public sphere as a solution, Prime Minister Robert Fico said after meeting representatives of nurses protesting in front of Government Office on Thursday. Fico gave nurses a proposal designed to address the situation in state-run as well as municipal hospitals.
“I believe that a quite clear offer to improve the standing of nurses in the system was put on the table,” said Health Minister Zuzana Zvolenska. She pointed out that notwithstanding the Constitutional Court ruling that guaranteeing salaries at the level specified by the Minimal Nurse Remuneration Act is unconstitutional; salaries of the same sum have still been guaranteed at state hospitals. Now, the Government is extending the offer also to hospitals run by municipal authorities. Nurse labour unions are now expected to inform their members about the specifics of the proposal. Nurses' trade union head Monika Kavecka, however, indicated that the union would like to see a solution addressing the situation of all nurses; not just those working in the public sector.
Nurses are to continue their three-day warning protest in front of Government Office, where they have been staying in tents from Wednesday (2 October). They have met sympathisers noting that the less than €500 month salary makes their position increasingly difficult in today’s economic climate.
