Another university hospital strike planned for Nov. 25

The university hospitals (UMCs) employees will strike again on November 25 if the employers' organization NFU refuses to discuss the workload and staff shortages. Trade unions FNV, FBZ, LAD, and CNV announced this on Monday.

It would be the third strike at the university medical centers in a short period. Once again, the participating employees will run on "Sunday shifts," which means they will only provide emergency care. This includes coronavirus care. 

The parties have been unable to agree on a wage increase for staff for some time, and the unions also believe that too little is done about the workload. Union NU'91 was the only one to agree to the NFU's collective bargaining proposal. 

At the end of September, the Cabinet announced that extra money would be made available for increasing salaries in the healthcare sector. The employers' organization wants all unions to come again to discuss how that money will be spent. "This with the aim of achieving a good addition to the collective bargaining agreement for all UMC employees together." The unions are "willing to talk, but not about this," according to FNV director Elise Merlijn. "Now that the number of coronavirus infections is increasing, the workload is only increasing further. A solution must be found."