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Kurdistan-Iraq: Health workers in Kurdish
north demand more benefits
14.7.2006
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ERBIL,
Kurdistan-Iraq, 13 Jul 2006 (IRIN) - Health workers
in Iraq's northern Kurdish Region have said they
would stage a mass strike unless the regional
authorities pay them extra benefits.
Earlier this month, five of the region’s
health-related professional unions announced their
intention to go on strike on 9 July if the
government failed to pay benefits to their members.
The strike was averted, however, until 19 July,
after government officials held talks with union
representatives.
Physicians and dentists currently receive 150,000
Iraqi Dinars (roughly US $100) because they are
subject to daily contact with sick people, some of
whom have transmittable diseases. They argue that
some other professionals, like police, receive
similar benefits for risks taken to their wellbeing.
Health unions complain that they have already set
several deadlines for the government, which has so
far failed to respond to their demands.
“Consequently, we were obliged to take a decision to
go on strike if the government doesn’t accept our
demands for restoring the benefits of health
employees,” said Khunaw Hassan, secretary-general of
the syndicate for health professionals.
Prior to the US-led invasion and occupation of Iraq
in March 2003, health employees received regular
monthly benefits. These were decreased considerably,
however, in the wake of the war.
But since early this year, the Kurdistan Regional
Government (KRG) has restored the work benefits of
its physicians, dentists and pharmacists, but not
for lower-ranking health employees. This infuriated
health unions, which now insist that all staff be
paid equitably.
Talks between government and union representatives –
with the aim of resolving the crisis – are currently
underway.
“Things are going positively, and some sort of
agreement has been reached between the two sides,”
KRG health minister Dr Ziryan Othman Yunes told IRIN.
“I hope there won’t be any strikes, as there is now
some common ground.” He declined, however, to reveal
details about ongoing negotiations.
Yunes went on to warn that a major strike by health
employees would negatively impact the lives of the
local population, although he added that planned
strikes would not include the staffs of hospitals or
health clinics.
irinnews org
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