health and medicine
News and articles about work, policy and workers' struggles in hospitals and pharmaceuticals around the world.
Ben Goldacre 'Steal This Chapter'
Joseph K's 'favourite liberal', NHS doctor and science writer Ben Goldacre has written about bullshit medical research, bogus science reporting, the placebo effect, and everything else from postmodernism to evolutionary psychology.
He's just made available the missing chapter from his Bad Science book, in case anyone's interested.
Israeli health company freezes redundancies after strike
After Clalit Health Services' management decided on yesterday (Thursday 26th) to freeze its plan to dismiss 1,000 employees after Passover, some 30,000 workers at its hospitals and community clinics suspended their 24-hour strike and struggle against the country's largest health fund.
This was agreed by Histadrut Labor Federation secretary-general Ofer Eini, Clalit director-general Eli Depes and union head Prosper Ben-Hami after management was unable to get restraining orders from a labor court against the workers.
Continued tension in Greece with strikes, riots and urban guerrillas
A second tense week of strikes and protest marches in Greece seeing hospital doctors, public transport and lorry drivers on strike, solidarity demonstrations with K. Kouneva erupt in riots, and a return of the spectre of urban guerrilla warfare.
As K. Kouneva is slowly recovering from the assassination attempt against her with sulphuric acid in December by corporate thugs, solidarity towards her and the cleaners subcontracted by OIKOMET and other companies to the civil service and state-owned enterprises is on the rise.
General strike hits France
As the recession begins to bite in France, transport, education and other services are brought to a halt by a national strike demanding action on unemployment and the rising cost of living.
Bloomberg business news reported that France’s rail network, airports and public schools were disrupted today as the country’s eight biggest labor unions called for a one-day general strike.
Cost of living pay increase struggles interview, 2008
An interview between Freedom newspaper and Steven Johns, libcom editor, local government worker and UNISON convenor analysing the UK pay disputes of 2008.
This year's big public sector pay disputes seemed to be gearing up for a fight, then fizzled out. What happened?
Pharmaceutical workers struggle in Wembley
Workers at the Chemilines pharmaceuticals firm in Wembley, north west London, are stepping up their campaign for decent pay and dignity at work.
They walked out on their second one-day strike last week and have now voted unanimously for a three-day strike at the end of this month. The Chemilines workers, who are mostly Asian women, are hoping to hold a public meeting this Saturday to build support for their cause, followed by a march the Saturday after that.
Doctors' strikes without borders
Medical doctors in Bangladesh, Nigeria and Yemen have walked out this week in rows over pay, conditions and safety.
The New Nation of Bangladesh reported that internee doctors in Barisal launched a wildcat strike on Saturday 3 January, issuing six demands.
Demands included improved safety for workers, better health and sanitation provision and a reduction in the number of visitors to the hospital.
France: hospital workers' strike enters third day
Workers, including doctors, nurses and technical staff at the Edouard Herriot hospital in Lyon have voted to continue strike action in support of their demand for more staff and improved conditions.
Strike observance is high amongst medical staff who have organised the strike to protest against understaffing and unsafe working conditions. Those who have been requisitioned to work during the strike (and face legal action if they refuse) have attended work wearing armbands with 'striker' written on them.
Medical students keep minister hostage in Athens over reforms
Medical students hold debuty minister of health hostage in second day of a 48 hour nurses strike in Greece.
On Friday 5 December, the second day of the 48h strike of nurses across Greece which saw the occupation of the Ministry of Health by strikers , students of the Medical School of Athens kept the debuty Minister of Health hostage in the amphiteater of the Ministry of Health
Tensions rise in Athens as nurses and students fight reforms
Tensions rise in Athens with nurses occupying Health Ministry and students clashing with riot police over unwanted educational reform
Tension rose in Athens on the 4th of December as nurses who are on a 48h national strike occupied the Ministry of Health.
When the Minister appeared pleading to do what he can to help them, the nurses replied "then come with us to occupy the Ministry of Economics".
