The nationwide federation of public hospital employees (POEDIN) is preparing for new strike actions over a number of financial and institutional demands in relation to their sector. Among others, they demand that they be included in the list of ‘hazardous and unhealthy’ professions and that their wage disputes be addressed.

As such, a rally has been planned for Thursday 11 February between noon and 3pm, a nationwide meeting of union boards on Wednesday 17 February and finally, a work stoppage has been planned in Attica for Thursday 18 February between 11am and 3pm, followed by a march to Ministry of Health.

In its statement, POEDIN explained that the national healthcare system (ESY) is understaffed and underfunded, while underlining that the people are called to pay increasingly more for healthcare services. POEDIN also warns that hospitals are unable to buy medical supplies and medicine, since they owe over 2 billion euros to suppliers.