Krakow: Workers Left Hanging in Hospital Commericalization

Starting July 1, the Rydygier hospital in Krakow is to become the first fully commericalized hospital in the Malopolska Vojevodship. Even though this is to happen in only a few days, workers at the hospital have no idea what their working conditions will be in this new commerical entity - or whether they will be hired at all. In addition to these problems, there are shadows of corruption related to a tender won by the former vice-director and in general, there is a scandalous mess related to lack of information.

The management of the new entity will now be responsible for hiring doctors and nurses. However the workers cannot find out whether they will be offered work contracts, "management contracts" [sic] or whether they will have to register their own business activity. (In other hospitals, common workers have had to sign management contracts, despite the fact they are not managers, so that the hospitals don't have to pay overtime. In many places medical staff are also required to set up their own businesses and conclude commercial contracts with the hospitals for their labour.) The management of the hospital does not want to meet with the workers.

Authorities at the Voivodship, which is responsible for health care and promised to keep workers informed about the course of the commercialization of the hospital, also have nothing to say. They had promised to form a special committee to negotiate work conditions and a social package by September of last year, but nothing was done. Unionists have been trying to get a meeting with the Voivodship for months but have been blown off. Finally they managed yesterday, only to be told that nobody knows anything.