The Federation of Hospital Doctors of Greece announced a strike today and Thursday, along with the Federation of Employees of Public Hospitals, to raise awareness of the need to strengthen the country’s free public health system.

The Executive Committee of ADEDY also supports the two-day country-wide strike, and notes on their website that public employees should support the organized protests planned in front of the Ministry of Health.

Some of the demands of the two unions relate to the need to: strengthen the free public health system; increase government funding for the public health system; double staff; simultaneously announce all vacant organizational positions by specialty; double salaries and offer additional compensation for on-call staff. Also they say that permanent contract holders should not have their contracts “dismissed,” and that private contractors should not be allowed to operate in the hospitals, amongst other demands.

In Attica, ADEDY calls on the public sector to participate in a work stop from 11 am until the end of the working hours today and in the protest at the Ministry of Health.