Emergencies will be treated, but from Monday, 16 September 2024, up to and including Wednesday, 18 September 2024, there could be considerable restrictions in the operating theatres, on the wards and in the outpatient clinics.
‘We therefore hope that we can find an appropriate solution as quickly as possible,’ says MHH Vice President Frank Lammert. Archive photo: Karin Kaiser/MHH
As part of the dispute over a collective agreement to reduce the workload for employees at Hannover Medical School (MHH), the trade union Verdi has called on its members to go on a three-day warning strike next week. The strike will run from Monday, 16 September 2024, up to and including Wednesday, 18 September 2024.
Emergency patients will of course be able to receive adequate treatment even on strike days. However, there could be considerable restrictions in everyday hospital life. This applies in particular to planned operations, planned inpatient admissions and outpatient treatments. Specifically, this means that patients who have an operation, inpatient admission or outpatient appointment at MHH on 16, 17 or 18 September 2024 that may be postponed will be informed personally of any postponement. Patients whose treatment appointments are not changed can and should keep them. However, they must expect waiting times and possibly further postponements.
Many discussions in recent weeks
The background to the planned warning strike is the demand for negotiations for a collective agreement to reduce the workload by improving the staffing ratio in nursing, but also for MHH employees in other therapeutic professions and trainees, for example - in addition to the existing collective agreement between the federal states. In recent weeks, many discussions have been held between MHH, the trade union and the Ministry of Science and Culture of Lower Saxony, which is responsible for MHH.
Minister disappointed by strike notice
‘I am disappointed by Verdi's strike notice,’ says Lower Saxony's Science Minister Falko Mohrs. ‘We share the goal of reaching a relief agreement and have proposed following the path taken by Schleswig-Holstein, which also works for Verdi there. In this way, we can reach binding and legally secure agreements to improve the workload and for training.’
‘We have made a concrete proposal as to how we can reach such an agreement,’ the minister emphasised further. ‘We have thus accommodated Verdi and made a new proposal that goes far beyond the offer of a service agreement. The position of the state is known and remains unchanged. An independent collective agreement is still not compatible with the statutes of the TdL. Membership of the TdL is not up for discussion, as this would jeopardise the regional collective agreement for Lower Saxony. However, an agreement under the law of obligations between MHH and Verdi, as in Schleswig-Holstein, would be possible. So there are still viable options for reaching an agreement.’
Presidium wants to quickly improve the situation for employees
‘We are surprised by the strike announcement,’ explains MHH President Professor Michael Manns: ’Verdi is focussing on the question of the form of contract and is thus delaying substantive talks that should lead to relief as soon as possible.’
‘We have repeatedly offered and continue to offer that we must enter into substantive talks,’ says Vice President Martina Saurin, responsible for economic management and administration. ‘This is the only way to quickly improve the situation for our employees. We are examining all options to prevent the strike.’
‘A strike will lead to considerable restrictions in the operating theatres, on the wards and in the outpatient clinics at MHH,’ adds Vice President Professor Frank Lammert, who is responsible for patient care. ‘We therefore hope that we can find an appropriate solution as quickly as possible.’
Text: Inka Burow