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Thousands of doctors walk off jobs in Germany
German doctors from state - and university - run clinics yesterday returned to the picket lines after a week's pause, with more than 10,000 joining a strike to press for better wages.
- AP
- Published: 00:00 May 30, 2006
Berlin: German doctors from state - and university - run clinics yesterday returned to the picket lines after a week's pause, with more than 10,000 joining a strike to press for better wages.
Doctors at some 40 hospitals and clinics walked off their jobs as the pay dispute entered its 11th week.
The physicians, who are seeking better compensation for long working hours, had returned to work last week in an effort to relieve a backlog of non-emergency operations.
Renegotiation
Now they are threatening to hold strikes in a one-week-on, one-week-off pattern, which union leaders have said could impact emergency plans for the soccer World Cup.
The strike resumed after the union insisted a wage agreement for public workers reached earlier this month does not apply to the doctors.
State administrators argue the agreement covers all hospital employees.
The doctors are calling for a return to negotiations.
German officials have put elaborate security and emergency arrangements in place for the month-long World Cup, which kicks off June 9.
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