Health and Medical Workers' Union Announces General Strike on the 13th of Next Month... Government Situation Monitoring Team Activated

Application for Labor Dispute Mediation at 147 Medical Institutions Nationwide
Union "No Progress on Expanding Public Healthcare"
Ministry of Health and Welfare Issues 'Interest' Alert for Health and Medical Disaster Crisis

The Korean Health and Medical Workers' Union (KHMU) has filed a labor dispute mediation request against 147 medical institutions nationwide, demanding a significant expansion of healthcare personnel and public healthcare, as well as solutions to nursing care costs, and has announced a general strike scheduled for the 13th of next month.

The Health and Medical Workers' Union held a simultaneous nationwide press conference to request the expansion of public healthcare, health and medical personnel, and integrated nursing care services.
[Photo by Health and Medical Workers' Union]

On the 28th, the KHMU held a press conference at the union office in Dangsan-dong, Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul, stating that if the union's core demands are not resolved within the 15-day mediation period, they will launch a general strike starting at 7 a.m. on the 13th of next month.

Na Sun-ja, Chairperson of the KHMU, said, "Healthcare workers, once called COVID-19 heroes, will go on a general strike on July 13," adding, "President Yoon Seok-yeol also said that the government’s fair treatment of nurses’ dedication and sacrifice is a matter of fairness and common sense, and Prime Minister Han Duck-soo and Minister of Health and Welfare Cho Kyu-hong promised to implement the 'September 2 Government-Labor Agreement' and improve nurses’ working conditions, but none of these have been realized."

She continued, "Employers, who should sincerely negotiate for wage increases and improved working conditions, are only making excuses that government system improvements must come first and are consistently negotiating in bad faith," emphasizing, "To ensure patient safety and protect public health and lives, there must be a significant expansion of healthcare personnel, establishment of a standard of five patients per nurse, full expansion of integrated nursing care service wards to resolve nursing care costs that are more expensive than hospital fees, and a substantial expansion of public healthcare."

Along with this, the union warned that if the government’s attitude does not change, they will have no choice but to proceed with a general strike to prevent the collapse of medical sites and the suffering and damage to the public, urging the government to fulfill its promises and employers to sincerely resolve medical issues.

An emergency situation review meeting was held on the 28th, chaired by Park Min-su, the 2nd Vice Minister of Health and Welfare.
[Photo by Ministry of Health and Welfare]

The government responded immediately. On the same day, the Ministry of Health and Welfare formed a 'Medical Institution Strike Situation Inspection Team' and held the first emergency situation inspection meeting to discuss response measures. The inspection team is led by Deputy Minister Park Min-soo and operates with five teams: the general response team, emergency medical treatment team, inter-ministerial cooperation team, public-private cooperation team, and communication and publicity team.

The Ministry plans to ▲ assess the situation including any disruptions in medical use ▲ check the operation status of emergency medical institutions (including public health centers) ▲ minimize confusion at medical sites and ensure no inconvenience to the public’s medical use through cooperation with local governments, the National Health Insurance Service, and the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service. Additionally, the Ministry held its own crisis evaluation meeting and decided to issue a 'concern' level alert for the healthcare disaster crisis. The concern level is a stage to manage the situation in preparation for strikes by healthcare-related organizations, check medical treatment measures, and establish cooperation systems with related agencies.

Deputy Minister Park urged, "Please closely monitor the situation on the ground and take necessary measures to ensure there are no difficulties caused by gaps in medical services." He also stated, "While the union’s lawful exercise of rights is guaranteed, illegal strikes and the suspension of essential maintenance duties that endanger the lives and health of the public will be dealt with according to law and principles."