Trade union calls on nurses to stage nationwide strike on Dec. 13, 2000

Bozena Banachowicz representing the National Nurses and Midwives Trade Union (OZZPiP) says that the government and parliament will be responsible for what happens on Dec. 13, 2000, the date the OZZPiP begins a nationwide strike. Nurses planning to participate in the protest say they will continue to strike until their demands, to increase salaries by zl.500 by the end of the year and create a pay-raise schedule, are met. It is expected that more hospitals will support the strike than did on Dec. 5 when nurses staged a symbolic one-day walk-out. According to OZZPiP, that action was supported by 80% of hospitals and health clinics. OZZPiP says that the next round of negotiations with the government could start as early as this afternoon. (Gazeta Wyborcza, p.9)