The union president, Valdis Keris, reported that the Latvian Union of Health and Social Care Workers (LVSADA), demanding an increase in doctors’ salaries, plans to strike against the Ministry of Health (VM).
LVSADA highlights that in August 2017 the Cabinet of Ministers (CM) approved a conceptual report on health system reform stating that by 2022 the state-guaranteed average monthly salary should reach a doctor – 2327 euros, nurses, midwives, medical assistants – 1396 euros and for nursing assistants – 931 euros before tax.
Kerry said the government’s 2017 decision to raise the industry’s paychecks remained unfulfilled for another year, that the current actual salary was at the expense of Covid-19 bonuses, and that when it was lifted, “a serious and painful decline for doctors.”
“Unfortunately, the VM does not want to meet the requirements of our strike, although it is timely and fair. Since last autumn we have tried to find a compromise in the form of negotiations, but the ministry did not reach us a penny. So there is nothing left but to prepare for the strike,” he said.
According to him, this year the Ministry of Health increased the salaries of doctors, nurses and midwives between 5% and 6% from the budget, but this increase does not comply with the 10% increase specified in the relevant regulations of the Council of Ministers. organization and payment of health services.
On the other hand, he noted that as of January 1, 2022, the salary of nurse assistants has not been increased.
“As of January 1 of this year, we have called for a 10% increase in wages, and there was an increase not in the actual wage, but in the wages guaranteed by the state to the health personnel. These are the figures recorded. Accordingly, we asked the Ministry to write our request in the statute of the Council of Ministers, but they cannot, and the reason is. It is not clear,” he said.
Boris Kņigins, Deputy Secretary of State for Finance of the Ministry of Finance, explained to LETA that, in fact, the salary of medical personnel is increasing every year. For example, salary growth was 26% last year, compared to just 12% in 2020. He also agreed that the monthly basic salary will meet the demands of medical personnel, by removing all kinds of allowances except for working during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Last year, the basic monthly salary of doctors and functional specialists without additional payment was 2309 euro, medical and patient care assistants and functional specialists – 1290 euro and medical and patient care support staff – 843 euro.
By contrast, the real salary of doctors this year is 1963 euros, nurses, midwives, physician assistants – 1183 euros, and nurses’ assistants – 745 euros, so Kņigins does not believe that medical staff will be neglected.
Source: Tv Net
I am Annabelle Sampson and I work for The News Dept as an author for their news department. My main focus is on economy news, but I also cover other topics such as business, finance, and current affairs. My writing has been featured in prominent publications such as The Wall Street Journal, Forbes Magazine, and the Financial Times.
