Finance minister Harris Georgiades said on Tuesday the government will not satisfy the demand of state hospital nurses to move up pay scales just because their qualifications are considered the equivalent of a university degree.
DISY leader Averoff Neophytou meanwhile said if the nurses did not like the terms of their employment they should look for a job elsewhere.
Speaking to state broadcaster CyBC Georgiades said that there is no way for the government to take decisions while under the threat of a strike.
On Monday, the overwhelming majority of PASYNO nurses’ union members voted in favour of going on an indefinite strike in a bid to seek higher entry level wages. Union nurses demand moving up their current pay scale which currently ranges from A5 to A7, to A8 after having their qualification made equal to a university degree and the unfreezing of promotions.
Georgiades however said that this is the only demand the government is not in a position to satisfy. “All the rest we have satisfied or we will satisfy through the upcoming hospital autonomy”.
The demand on pay, however, “will bring a huge economic burden”, as it would mean an annual €40m cost, and would create a precedence for “thousands” of others to follow, Georgiades said.
“Why should we upgrade especially them (nurses) when the majority of the civil service have university degrees but are not on these pay scales?” Georgiades asked.
“Any employee who believes that the terms of a contract do not satisfy him or her, has no obligation to keep the contract. They can simply cease to be employees under these conditions, nobody is forcing them, and if they believe they can find better employment terms somewhere else, why don’t they do just that?” Neophytou said.
Neophytou said that the priority of the government is the patients.
“We cannot keep quiet just because elections approach or accept pressure from any group,” Neophytou said.
Meanwhile, PASYNO heads Tuesday afternoon approved the vote on Monday by members to proceed with an indefinite strike as of March 15.
Head of PASYNO Panayiotis Georgiou said on Friday they will meet Health minister George Pamporidis but they are not willing to engage in yet another dialogue, they expect proposals instead.
“He knows what the problems are. We will not engage in a dialogue, we will go there to hear solutions,” Georgiou said.
He added that the moving up of pay scales is one of the most serious demands and concerns all nurses, permanent and temporary staff, as well as future nurses, and that is why students too will join the strike.
Commenting on Georgiades’ statements, he said that it is the state that closed down the three-year nursing school and incorporated it with the University of Technology (TEPAK) as a four-year degree. He added that it is also the state that forced all nurses with a three-year diploma to upgrade it by taking additional courses each bearing their own expenses.
“It is the state that needs to recognise its obligations to nurses,” Georgiou said.
Civil servants union PASYDY, which also has nurse members, is against the strike.
