State health services Okypy will be submitting a new proposal by Monday regarding the millions of euros in incentives state hospital doctors are demanding, with doctors saying they would not call off a 48-hour strike for the end of the month if their demands were not met in full.
Submitting the proposal was decided at a House health committee meeting on Thursday, attended by Okypy and trade unions Pasyki and Pasydy.
Committee president Efthymios Diplaros said the aim was to find common ground to avoid any hiccups in the health sector.
About 650 state hospital doctors, set to receive €19.1 million over and above their salaries, overtime and allowances, to keep up financially with their private sector peers, are to go on strike demanding a further €2 million be added to that amount, a move state health services Okypy says could cost lives.
Pasyki union has announced a 48-hour strike for the end of the month.
Diplaros and other MPs called on Okypy to make another effort to avert the strike.
Okypy said it could not increase the amount suggested by the researcher for 2023, but stated it was willing to discuss a new agreement for 2024-2027.
Representatives of Pasyki and Pasydy said the 48-hour strike was a first measure, which would be lifted if a satisfactory solution was found by Monday.
Okypy president Marinos Kallis said the incentives for 2023 could not change, as the agreement stipulated €2.5 million and this was the amount that would be given.
The services CEO Kypros Stavrides said an independent researcher had been commissioned and nothing beyond the €2.5 million suggested could be given for 2023.
He added that the Audit Office was currently examining the agreement to commission the researcher.
Stavrides said that in order to avert a strike, Okypy would put forward a new proposal, which was also urged by the health minister.
Pasyki president Soteris Koumas said the trade union could not call off the strike and that, if the new proposal did not include 2023, then it would be dismissed.
In any case, there would be skeleton staff to see patients, he added.
Pasydy representative Moysis Lambrou said Okypy’s stance was incomprehensible and that the strike would go ahead, unless a satisfactory solution was given.
Health Minister Michael Damianos said it was necessary to maintain labour peace in the health sector and that a long-term solution must be found.
“Our proposal was that, since nothing can be done for the economic criteria of 2023, they would be paid together with those of 2024,” Damianos said.
He added that the ministry was ready to withstand the strike, however the aim was to avert it completely.
MPs said it was necessary to avert a strike and not place any lives in danger, adding that both sides should meet in the middle.
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