Polish unionists demand cut in doctors' workload
PR dla Zagranicy
Paweł Kononczuk
18.09.2017 12:58
A trade union representing medical professionals in Poland has urged the prime minister to cut doctors' workload in the wake of media reports of medics working themselves to death.
Photo: pixabay/DarkoStojanovic
The national board of the Doctors’ Trade Union of Poland has appealed to Prime Minister Beata Szydło to limit the workload of medical practitioners to 48 hours per week across the board.
The unionists are demanding that the time limit covers overtime and is put in place regardless of doctors’ form of employment.
“In recent weeks we have seen a series of deaths of doctors on duty,” the trade union said in a document addressed to Szydło.
"There’s no doubt that the tragedies were caused by overwork. Doctors in Poland work far too hard, and in many cases are coerced to do so by their employers,” the unionists added.
The union points to the common practice of taking on medical professionals on so-called "junk contracts" -- temporary, fixed-term job agreements -- to sidestep working hours regulations.
A 59-year-old surgeon from Włoszczowa, southern Poland, recently died from a heart attack after 24 hours on duty non-stop. (aba/pk)
Source: PAP