Protesting nurses and teachers asking for better pay and working conditions joined forces on Wednesday, calling the Parliament to deal with their requests. 540 nurses ended their labour contracts, leaving some hospitals seriously understaffed as of Monday. Teachers are continuing their strike launched last week. While the Health Minister says he is still waiting for a proposal from nurses in order to reach a compromise, doctors from the anaesthesiology and intensive care unit of the Faculty Hospital in Žilina, one of the most affected by nurses' protest sent him a letter arguing that patients are being put at a risk by the lack of personnel. As of January, a new law has set the minimum monthly basic salary for nurses at €694 before taxes for the lowest qualified nurses and €823 for the top ones. It means that nurses' pay remains lower than the average wage and among the lowest in Europe, according to the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). Nurses' trade unions and chamber argue that some will in fact see their wages going down. They are also asking for a €25 monthly pay rise for each three years of experienced gained.
Prime Minister Robert Fico has asked teachers still on strike to go back to work as this Government and Parliament cannot do more for them before the upcoming parliamentary elections scheduled for March 5th. "If we're part of a coalition after the election, we'll continue to increase the salaries of teachers. We have resources to raise their salaries by at least 25 percent during the next term", said the premier. Teachers demand their salaries be increased this year by €140 per month and in 2017 by additional €90, they also request additional investment in equipment in various schools worth €400 million, and a change of the system of continuing education.
