Medical workers in Dubasari assert their right to strike

The medical workers in Dubasari town get ready for strike, Info-Prim Neo’s correspondent from the Transnistrian region reports. Vladimir Bodur, chairman of the trade union committee of the central Dubasari district hospital, says that the medical system in the region is in a critical situation. With the prices of food products and public utilities constantly rising, the medical workers barely manage to make ends meet. The salaries of doctors and medical personnel are lower than the minimum average salary declared by the Transnistrian authorities – 1,182 Transnistrian rubbles of 1,300 lei. The medical assistants’ salary is lower than the value of the minimum consumer basket assessed at 597 Transnistrian rubbles or 700 lei, Vladimir Bodur said. In December 2007, the hospital’s personnel appealed to all the Transnistrian legislative and executive institutions, asking the authorities to help the hospital overcome the difficult situation. No answer has come yet. At a trade union meeting, the workers of the hospital decided to set up a district strike commission in case the Tiraspol authorities do not take measures to remedy the situation. The central Dubasari district hospital has 325 places for patients. The institution has 726 employees, 96 out of whom are doctors. Thirty-nine persons resigned and 13 persons were employed last year. The average age of the doctors is 46 years, while of the medical assistants 41 years.