The “Union of Public Health and Social Services Employees” in Turkey announced on Wednesday that all its members working in government health institutions have stopped providing medical services after entering a strike that will continue until the end of the day, against the background of their opposition to their long working hours and low salaries, especially after the decline The history you recorded Turkish lira Against foreign currencies since early December.
Indeed, all members of this union, which is essentially a gathering of two professional unions, has stopped providing medical care in various hospitals and health centers affiliated with the Ministries of Health and Social Affairs throughout Turkey, according to what was reported to Al Arabiya.net, an official in the union, whose membership includes about 250 thousand workers in the medical fields.
government warning
For his part, Mehmet Nour, co-chair of the “Employees Union” branch in the southeastern province of Diyarbakir, confirmed that “all employees working in government medical and health institutions, including hospitals, dispensaries, medical centers and clinics affiliated with the Ministry of Health and Social Affairs, have stopped working.” Today, to warn the government of the repercussions of ignoring our demands.”
He also added to Al-Arabiya.net that, “All members of the union, whose branch I head in Diyarbakir, has stopped providing medical and health services throughout Turkey, but for humanitarian reasons, our colleagues working in emergency departments and those who follow up on the case of people infected with the virus did not stop.” Coronaabout their work.
A medical center devoid of patients
for more than a day
Nour also explained that “today’s strike is for 24 hours only, and we did this to warn the government that it is necessary to implement our demands, which include reducing working hours and obtaining salaries higher than those we get, especially as it lost about half of its value after the decline in the Turkish lira against foreign currencies.” “.
He revealed that “the members of the union may go on strike for more than a day in the coming period if the government continues to ignore their demands,” noting that “they have been working in unfavorable conditions since the outbreak of Corona and the exacerbation of the economic crisis in the country.”
In addition, photos and videos posted by members of the “Union” on social media showed the presence of hundreds of its members in public squares to protest their working conditions while raising anti-government banners. Other photos and videos also showed that some medical centers in Turkey were free of patients and visitors.
Union members on strike
So far, the government, which includes the ruling “Justice and Development” party led by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and the right-wing “National Movement”, has not moved to respond to the demands of members of the union of employees working in the public health and social services sectors, although they had announced their intention to start a strike today. 10 days ago.
Support from the two largest anti-Erdogan parties
For his part, a source close to Samih Dormus, the general president of the union, renewed to Al Arabiya.net the union members’ rejection of legislation approved last week, which stipulated granting doctors an increase in their current and pension salaries, stressing that “this legislation must include members of the union as well. “.
Members of the Doctors and Pharmacists Syndicates also participated in the vigils organized by members of the union on Wednesday in various Turkish cities, to express their support, according to what a member of the Turkish Medical Syndicate branch in Istanbul told Al Arabiya.net.
It is noteworthy that the demands of this union enjoy the support of the two largest opposition parties to the Turkish president, namely the “Republican People” and the “Democratic Peoples”, which supports the Kurds. Officials of both parties stressed a few days ago, when discussing the country’s general budget for next year in Parliament, the need to increase the budget allocated to the health and social care sectors.
