French Health Workers Protest Over Pay Ahead Of Polls

Health workers demonstrated in cities across France on Tuesday to demand higher pay and more staff for services stretched to breaking point, just days before the country votes in parliamentary elections.
Although recently re-elected, President Emmanuel Macron has ordered a probe into which emergency units need immediate help with people in the sector warning there is no time to lose.
Head of the CGT union in eastern city Strasbourg Pierre Wach, said not a single department is spared, and that public hospitals are in the process of dying for lack of resources.
Protests began at hospitals in the morning Tuesday and continued at the health ministry in Paris in the afternoon, where staff, some wearing white medical coats, brandished placards with messages such as “Hire more and pay us more, it’s urgent!”.
Casualty workers’ group Samu-Urgences de France found in a May survey that at least 120 accident and emergency departments nationwide had already cut back on work or were preparing to do so after years of Covid-19 strain.
Macron told regional newspapers Friday that his review, led by the group’s chief Francois Braun, would identify “where there is need, emergency department by emergency department, ambulance service by ambulance service, region by region”.
But opposition politicians and unions have accused him of playing for time until after the legislative elections on June 12 and 19 — as some polls show the president’s absolute majority could be at risk.
Some emergency workers have warned that a summer heatwave, which in past years has proved deadly for elderly people, or a new flare-up of Covid could push hospitals into chaos.

Advertisement

Most Popular This Week

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

More from Author

Advertisement

Read Now

What You Should Know About Diphtheria and how to prevent it

The Lagos State government has confirmed a diphtheria outbreak at King’s College, Victoria Island Annexe, which resulted in the death of a 12-year-old student and the hospitalization of 14 others. Authorities have identified 34 close contacts of the deceased and are monitoring them for symptoms of the bacterial...

How Ghanaian Youths Are Getting Addicted to Tramadol

Tramadol abuse has become a significant public health concern in Ghana, particularly among the youth. Originally intended as a prescription painkiller for moderate to severe pain, tramadol's misuse has escalated, leading to widespread addiction issues. This growing trend has raised alarms among health authorities, policymakers, and law...

Is Fasting Really Beneficial?

For centuries, fasting has been a common practice, often rooted in religious traditions and cultural rituals. However, in recent years, fasting has gained mainstream popularity for its supposed health benefits, from weight loss to increased lifespan. But is fasting truly beneficial, or is it just another health...