Nurses ready for extended strike

Salary negotiations between the nurses’ union and the finance ministry are showing no signs of progress.

The comprehensive healthcare strike that started on 2 October has now been expanded to include outpatient wards on all three hospitals (Tórshavn, Klaksvík and Tvøroyri).

“This strike could drag on for weeks or months. But it would never have arisen if the finance ministry had shown the same willingness to find solutions as we have,” says Óluva í Gongd, who heads the nurses’ union.

“We have granted virtually all exemption requests for essential healthcare services. If hospitals need further exemptions, they are free to request them. As long as all essential service keep running, patient safety should not be at risk.”

The dispute resolution board is working on ways to help the opposing parties to reach a mutually agreeable settlement.

Read the Faroese version of this article here.

English version by prosa.fo.

More Faroese News in English.