PLN 24.5 thousand gross for medical specialists from July? OZZL presented its demand
The National Medical Union is demanding a significant increase in salaries for medical specialists employed on full-time contracts. From July, their salaries would be at least PLN 24,500 gross per month. Although the government has announced an increase in healthcare spending, it does not plan to redirect funds to pay increases. The National Medical Union warns: without changes, staff will flow out of hospitals.
During a press conference, OZZL representatives announced their main demand: the minimum salary of a medical specialist should be three national averages, which is currently PLN 24,545 gross per month. Unionists emphasize that this is a rate that corresponds to the realities of work and qualifications, so over PLN 90 gross per hour.
According to the union, only slightly over 23 thousand medical specialists are employed under employment contracts. The rest choose contracts that allow for flexibility and higher income. According to OZZL, this is partly due to too low salaries, which are currently comparable to, or even lower than, the earnings of resident doctors. The union warns that if the situation does not change, hospitals will have problems staffing departments.
Joachim Budny from the OZZL board pointed out that doctors perform all medical procedures, therefore without appropriately remunerated specialists there is no effective treatment.
- You can't pose a false alternative: money for treatment or for salaries. It's one and the same - he said.
Donald Tusk, responding to questions from MPs, assured that the government plans to increase spending on healthcare by over PLN 25 billion next year. At the same time, he emphasized that these funds are to be used primarily to improve the situation of patients, not for pay rises. In his opinion, salaries in healthcare are already "decent", although previously, as he admitted, nurses' salaries in particular were underestimated.
The Association of District Hospital Employers warns that the costs of this year's wage increases in healthcare could reach PLN 18 billion annually. The change in minimum wages from July 1 alone applies to a wide group of medical professions - from doctors and nurses to physiotherapists and paramedics.
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