health and medicine
News and articles about work, policy and workers' struggles in hospitals and pharmaceuticals around the world.
Poland: Three labour conflicts highlight the state's animosity towards Workers
Currently there are many labour conflicts in Poland, including various forms of strikes and protest. Almost 20 years after Poland's transition to a market economy, labour unrest is still strongest in the budget sector and in state-owned companies.
THE STRIKE IN BUDRYK: Miners get the shaft as elite get wealthy
The mining industry in Poland is still a quite healthy business. Fuel prices are rising as is the global demand for coal. Budryk is one of the mines in Poland that was making a very healthy profit – until a labour dispute began costing the mine losses of about 1 million US dollars per day.
France: round-up of strikes and more government attacks on conditions
The government continues attacking workers and immigrants and workers continue defending themselves.
Just outside of Paris at the Areva TD factory in Montrouge, 89 striking workers have been occupying and blockading the factory for four days.The movement began after management announced plans to close the factory, which produces electrical transformers. Workers are demanding large compensation payments, management is currently refusing to negotiate.
New Zealand: Brackenridge Estate strike - day two
Care workers for intellectually disabled adults are on strike at the state run Brackenridge Estate facility in Christchurch, New Zealand.
The second day of the strike at Brackenridge Estate, a Ministry Of Health run complex for the care of intellectually disabled adults, saw around 40 workers and their supporters on the picket lines, under shade from the 30 degree plus heat. Friday, the first day of the 48 hour strike, saw around 100 people on the lines.
Wales: Paramedics in unofficial overtime ban
Ambulance crews covering south east Wales are refusing to work any overtime for four weeks to highlight staff shortages in the service.
The BBC reported that paramedics say they are worried that patient safety is being compromised because the service is dependant on their willingness to work extra hours.
It is understood hundreds of staff in Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan will take part in the unofficial action.
The Welsh Ambulance Services NHS Trust said it was trying to address concerns.
Karen Reissman strike suspended
150 NHS mental health workers in Manchester who have been on strike since early November following the sacking of Karen Reissman are to return to work on Monday 17th December, without having secured her reinstatement.
The strike is now set to be replaced by a "national Unison campaign". In place of industrial action the union is supporting a claim for unfair dismissal at an employment tribunal, an early day motion by Unison sponsored MPs and looking to organise a national lobby of parliament in the New Year.
Karen Reissman appeal rejected
NHS Trust bosses this week rejected mental health nurse Karen Reissman's appeal against her dismissal.
The appeal, which bosses deliberated over for a week, attempted to overturn the decision to dismiss Reissman, who was sacked for 'gross misconduct' after criticising cuts to NHS services in the media.
Greece: General strike against pension reform
Thousands of Greek workers have joined a 24-hour strike in protest against reforms which could jeapordise pensions and jobs.
Launched by Greece's two largest unions, the strike has affected all public services, hospitals, banks, courts and airports. All flights out of Athens airport have been grounded after air traffic controllers, pilots and flight crews walked out, and ferry and metro systems across the country have been hit.
Campaigners slam closures after "critical" blood shortages emerge
Campaigners against the cuts to the National Blood Service have hit out, after blood shortages in hospitals are already emerging.
The NHS Blood and Transplant Board which manages the NBS aims to axe blood centre in this area, in cuts plans that will see 600 jobs lost. However it emerged this week, in addition to the two recent deaths as a result of shortages in specially matched platelets, that the impact of the cuts is already being felt in other hospital shortages of blood, in your area and across the country.
IWW Launches Second Phase of National Campaign
A press release from the IWW outining its plans to organise the UK's National Blood Service.
IWW launches second phase of fight against blood service centralisation plans.
The IWW is fighting the closure of 10 blood processing centres across England. This is the largest campaign yet attempted by the IWW in the UK (the BIROC), and has led to large scale regional mobilisations, and the distribution of 55,000 leaflets and 5000 targeted workplace bulletins.
France: More workers join strikes
Hundreds of thousands of health workers, civil servants, printers postal workers and air traffic controllers yesterday joined transport and energy strikes over pensions and pay.
Thousands joined street protests in Paris, Rouen, Strasbourg, Marseille, Grenoble, Lyon and other cities.
The 24 hour strike left many schools closed, hospitals providing a reduced service and newsagents without newspapers.
The BBC reported that the French capital's two airports and Marseille airport in the south suffered delays and cancellations.
