Eraković: Humiliation and shameful manipulation by the Government - nurses and medical technicians received a salary increase of 30 euros

During the debate on non-working Sundays in retail stores, retail workers were brought to the forefront, while those who do not have the luxury of choosing whether to work on Sundays - nurses and medical technicians - were unfairly neglected. It is precisely in their case, as assessed by Dr Jevto Eraković, Member of Parliament of the Democratic Party of Socialists, that the „shameful manipulation“ of figures and this Government’s attitude toward healthcare workers have been laid bare.

As a neurologist, he warned that the authorities have shown no sensitivity toward nurses and medical technicians. While there is much discussion about the potential negative impact on the health of employees who work on Sundays, those who spend their Sundays working with the most critically ill patients are being forgotten.

The Democratic Party of Socialists, he recalled, submitted a legislative proposal precisely to recognize the specific nature and difficulty of such professions. There are occupations that cannot choose whether to work on Sundays, holidays, or at night, because their work is directly tied to human life.

Instead of genuine appreciation, he said, what followed was manipulation. And a shameful one. And humiliation.

- You told us that the signing of the Sectoral Collective Agreement was forthcoming and that the increase proposed by the Democratic Party of Socialists was unnecessary. You raised nurses’ and medical technicians’ salaries by 15 percent, and then reduced them by 10 percent on the same day - he said.

The result, he stated, is a total increase of around 30 euros.

- That is not reform. It is an attempt at shameful manipulation. That is what your entire policy looks like and everything you do in this Government - Eraković said during the parliamentary debate.

He asked how it is possible that someone would refuse to support a law intended to show respect to people who perform the most responsible and demanding jobs.

According to him, many of those who speak the loudest today about workers’ rights have not worked a single day.

- They defend workers’ rights, yet they have never worked at all - he said.

He added that certain individuals who allegedly defend workers’ rights in Parliament have no work experience, but have, as he claims, come „from imaginary student benches“, without even completing those faculties, or having graduated from institutions whose diplomas are not recognized. And now, supposedly, they have set out to defend workers’ rights, despite never having done any real work.

Had they worked even one day, Eraković emphasized, they would know what work means, responsibility, night shifts, 24-hour duties…

- It is easy to talk about workers’ rights. It is hard to bear responsibility for human life - he said.

Therefore, Dr Eraković concluded this issue is not political point-scoring, but a matter of dignity for nurses and medical technicians who stand on the front line of patient care every day.