Nurses will "throw patients out of beds" unless salaries raised immediately

Yesterday, 150 nurses from one of Lodz's largest hospitals went on a two-hour strike to remind their employers that they were slowly running out of patience about salaries. The strike included nurses from such sensitive wards as intensive care and surgery. The nurses are demanding an immediate net raise of zl. 250. Unions officials have threatened that if by Jul. 22 hospital superintendents fail to produce attractive packages, they will have no alternative but to "throw patients out of beds". In related news, the government started an intensive round of talks with OZZPiP officials to try to find a lasting solution to the problem of nurses' welfare. However, most grassroots organs of OZZPiP were pessimistic about the outcome of the talks and have therefore vowed to continue their protests. (Zycie Warszawy, page 2)