Second strike at university hospitals; No plannable care for 24 hours

Thousands of employees at all eight of the Netherlands' university medical centers (UMCs) are striking for the second time on Tuesday. There will be only emergency care at the academic hospitals for 24 hours. All plannable care is canceled for this period, trade union FNV said to NOS.

The health workers first went on strike on September 28. Then 89 departments ran on "Sunday service," only treating emergencies. On Tuesday, 279 departments are running on Sunday service in what FNV called the largest strike in academic hospitals ever.

"Just like the coronavirus infections, the anger is also increasing," the union said. "Unfortunately, the pressure on employees in the UMCs is so harrowing that taking action, with the limited possibilities they have for this, is necessary to future-proof healthcare."

The UMC staff fall under their own collective bargaining agreement, separate from workers at other hospitals. The unions want a 3 percent per year wage increase for all employees and concrete agreements for less work pressure.

The UMCs say they cannot go beyond a once-off bonus of 3.5 percent of the gross annual salary in January 2022 and a structural wage increase of 3.5 percent from August 1 next year. This applies to the "middle groups," including nurses. For the lower salaries, the UMCs proposed a once-off bonus of 750 euros and a 1 percent structural wage increase.