Medics to join teachers' protest demonstration in April

  • 2023-03-17
  • LETA/TBT Staff

RIGA - Organizations of Latvia's healthcare professional and their members are determined to protest and join a demonstration teachers are planning to stage in April, Ilze Aizsilniece, President of the Latvian Medical Association, told LETA. 

Aizsilniece said that insufficient funding for patient care and medicines, as well as a negligible pay increase for medics from April 1 will make no difference for the health sector, which has remained underfunded for nearly 30 years already. 

"It does not even cover inflation and in now way brings us closer to the average level of our neighbor countries Lithuania and Estonia and Europe," the association's president said. 

Organizations of Latvia's healthcare professional and their members are therefore are determined to protest and call on the whole of society to join the fight for modern and accessible healthcare for everyone. 

As reported, effective April 1, the average monthly salary of healthcare personnel will increase by EUR 120 before tax (gross salary), as the Trade Union of Health and Social Care Employees of Latvia told LETA. The union has reached agreement with the Health Ministry on increasing the average salary for healthcare employees, which has been endorsed by the National Tripartite Cooperation Council.

It was also reported that the board of the Latvian Trade Union of Education and Science Employees (LIZDA) has decided to stage a rally on April 24 and call a three-day strike of  teachers at end-April, the union's chairwoman Inga Vanaga told LETA.

The Education and Science Employees' Union points out that the government has not fulfilled its promises to teachers and failed to observe the relevant laws and regulations. Hence the decision to organize a strike and a protest.

The rally will take place regardless of whether the strike demands are met or not. The strike may be called off if politicians again offer some solutions at the last moment.

Vanaga emphasized that the upcoming rally and strike were supported by a number of other non-governmental organizations.