Longer waiting times and praxis closures as medical staff around Germany strike
Amid an ongoing wage dispute, employees in doctors' surgeries planned to walk off the job on Thursday, possibly leading to inconveniences for patients.
It is unclear how many employees will take part in the warning strike, meant to up pressure on employers ahead of pay negotiations next week. However, some practices could remain closed completely.
The Association of Medical Professions (vmf) has called for the one-day strike, aimed at the 330,000 employees in doctors' surgeries across Germany.
This could mean longer waiting times for patients, and there could also be individual practice closures, according to the association. Emergency and acute care should remain guaranteed, however.
The association's core demand is an average salary increase of 14.6 percent. According to the vmf, the employers' current offer would only result in an average increase of 5.5 percent.
However, because only a small proportion of employees are unionized and it is often difficult for employees in small businesses such as doctors' surgeries to assert their right to strike, it is not possible to predict how large the turnout will be, said a vmf spokesperson.
‘Unbearable’ working conditions
The warning strike - the first in the history of the vmf - is intended to flank the next round of negotiations planned for Thursday.
Protest actions are also planned in front of the German Medical Association in Berlin as well as in Dortmund, Hamburg, Marburg, Nuremberg and Stuttgart.
The vmf is receiving support from the Virchowbund medical association, which called on all praxis owners to support the strike “as much as possible”.
"Practices are chronically underfunded, and our MFAs feel this every day," explained Dirk Heinrich, Federal Chairman of the Virchowbund.
He pointed out that "stress and workload are now becoming unbearable" for practice staff. "Despite loving their profession, many are reorienting themselves and leaving outpatient care."
Thursday's action is the latest in a series of strikes which has hit hospitals, airports, transportation, schools and other public institutions.
READ ALSO: Why Germany is being hit by strikes almost every day
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It is unclear how many employees will take part in the warning strike, meant to up pressure on employers ahead of pay negotiations next week. However, some practices could remain closed completely.
The Association of Medical Professions (vmf) has called for the one-day strike, aimed at the 330,000 employees in doctors' surgeries across Germany.
This could mean longer waiting times for patients, and there could also be individual practice closures, according to the association. Emergency and acute care should remain guaranteed, however.
The association's core demand is an average salary increase of 14.6 percent. According to the vmf, the employers' current offer would only result in an average increase of 5.5 percent.
However, because only a small proportion of employees are unionized and it is often difficult for employees in small businesses such as doctors' surgeries to assert their right to strike, it is not possible to predict how large the turnout will be, said a vmf spokesperson.
‘Unbearable’ working conditions
The warning strike - the first in the history of the vmf - is intended to flank the next round of negotiations planned for Thursday.
Protest actions are also planned in front of the German Medical Association in Berlin as well as in Dortmund, Hamburg, Marburg, Nuremberg and Stuttgart.
The vmf is receiving support from the Virchowbund medical association, which called on all praxis owners to support the strike “as much as possible”.
"Practices are chronically underfunded, and our MFAs feel this every day," explained Dirk Heinrich, Federal Chairman of the Virchowbund.
He pointed out that "stress and workload are now becoming unbearable" for practice staff. "Despite loving their profession, many are reorienting themselves and leaving outpatient care."
Thursday's action is the latest in a series of strikes which has hit hospitals, airports, transportation, schools and other public institutions.
READ ALSO: Why Germany is being hit by strikes almost every day
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