Health Minister Vili Beros confirmed on Wednesday, the day before an announced protest of nurses and non-medical staff, that today he will not meet with the trade unions organising the protest and told them to fight for material rights through collective negotiations.

“I’m not the decisive factor, it’s about the law, regulations and financial possibilities. We need to look objectively at what has been done so far,” said Beros, explaining why he will not meet with the unions organising the strike.

One of the demands of the Croatian Union of Nurses and the Independent Health Union was a meeting with Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic, who said yesterday that Beros would meet with them. However, while the union leaders were at a meeting in the ministry today, Beros attended the Summit of Spouses of European Leaders at Westin Hotel.

“We need to look at how much the government has done since 2016 for all employees in the health system, doctors, nurses and other staff,” said Beros, reacting to the announcement of tomorrow’s protest by nurses and non-medical staff who demand an increase in wage scales by at least ten percent and better working conditions.

Beros told the unions that the right place to fight for material rights is the ongoing collective bargaining.

He repeated that wage scales were significantly increased last year for head nurses and nurses with higher education. In April the scale was increased by 3 to 5.8% for other categories of nurses, and in September 2019 they received an increase of three and four percent for working conditions and responsibilities, the minister added.

In addition, their material rights will be improved by the new law on wages and two new decrees on wage scales by the end of the year.

Given that the unions know this, Beros assessed that “this story can only be interpreted as finding the best possible starting position for negotiations”.