Hospitals Union goes to State Arbitrator

TALLINN - Estonian Hospitals Union went to the State Arbitrator on Monday to solve the labor conflict with the Estonian Doctors' Union (EDU) and Estonian Healthcare Workers Vocational Union (EHWVU), after the latter decided to reject the proposals made to them last week by the Hospitals' Union, Public Broadcasting reports.

"The Hospitals' Union has made a collective labor agreement offer in line with powers given by the Health Insurance Fund and positions reached at negotiations – this is the best possible compromise according to the Hospitals Union evaluation. The wish of the strikers to get all of the wage increase in one year, not over the two years offered, is the main content-related difference of opinion. We turned to the Arbitrator to end the strike as soon as possible," said Hospitals Union board chairman Urmas Sule.

The Estonian Doctors Union and Healthcare Workers Vocational Union launched a strike concerning outpatient services in larger hospitals in Tallinn and Tartu two weeks ago, demanding a major wage increase and measures from the state that would stop doctors and nurses leaving from Estonia and the Estonian healthcare system falling apart. Last week, the strike was expanded to inpatient care in these hospitals and several county hospitals joined the strike.