There are too few “white staff” and their pay does not correspond to their education – warn nurses and midwives from the University Hospital in Krakow. Around 500 cases against the facility have been filed in court.
The chairwoman of the Trade Union of the National Trade Union of Nurses and Midwives at the University Hospital in Krakow, Jolanta Doroz, spoke out on the situation of nurses and midwives at the University Hospital during Wednesday's session of the Krakow City Council. She appealed to councilors and the Jagiellonian University, which is the body that created the hospital, to intervene in the government in connection with their situation.
She pointed out the high average age of employees in this professional group and the fact that young employees leave after gaining experience at the University Hospital and look for work in other medical facilities. According to her, the salaries in this hospital are embarrassingly low because they do not match the qualifications of nurses and midwives. In order to earn extra money, they have to work overtime, which – as she emphasized – is not good in the case of medics responsible for patient safety. She informed that in connection with this, they have filed about 500 cases against this facility in court.
We contacted the University Hospital in Krakow about this matter. – We do not comment on the situation until the court cases are resolved – said Maria Włodkowska, spokeswoman for the facility.
In turn, Adam Koprowski, spokesman for the Jagiellonian University, said the university does not plan to comment on the matter. “We are a founding unit, but we do not interfere in the hospital's daily operations,” the spokesman said.
In the Sejm about nurses
In mid-2022, the provisions of the act on pay rises for healthcare workers came into force. The salary increase depends on the qualifications required for a given position, previously it depended on qualifications, regardless of the position.
The Sejm is working on a citizens' draft amendment to the act on the method of determining the minimum wage. basic salary certain employees employed in healthcare entities submitted by nurses and midwives. In June, the parliamentary health subcommittee adopted the bill and referred it to the committee.
In April, nurses wrote a letter to the Prime Minister in which they appealed for real dialogue and work on the project.
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