Health Unions Escalate Against the Government: Reduction of Working Hours and Threat of Complete Closure

SadaNews - The health unions (Union of Health Professions, Nursing and Midwifery Association, Health Services Employees Union) announced escalating measures, including a reduction of working hours to one day a week, in protest against the government’s failure to respond to their demands, primarily the payment of full salaries and the scheduling of previous dues.

The unions stated in a press release today, "The working hours for healthcare services, Ministry of Health centers, public health laboratories, and specialized laboratories will be only on Sundays of each week. Meanwhile, the hospitals will operate on a shift system weekly, limited to emergency cases only, with the ministry responsible for covering the shortfall in employee numbers.”

They added, "The working hours for colleagues in the Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Social Development, Ministry of Economy, Ministry of Industry, Quality Assurance Authority, Water Authority, Accreditation and Quality Unit, and the Standards and Metrology Institute will also be only on Sundays of each week."

The unions threatened to escalate their protest measures, stating, "These actions are initial and cautionary before reaching the stage of complete closure."

They held the government responsible for the collapse of the health sector in Palestine, amid its continued neglect of the health unions' demands.

Below is the full text of the statement: