Dear Mr Health Minister,
On behalf of the members of the GÖD health union, we are turning to you today to once again draw attention to a serious injustice in the current heavy work regulations, which particularly affects the health and care professions. These professions, which make an indispensable contribution to our society, are severely disadvantaged by the current regulations, and we demand an immediate correction of this unequal treatment.
Under current regulations, employees in many occupational groups must perform 120 hours of hard work per month for this month to be recognized as a hard work month. However, stricter standards apply to employees in the health and care professions: they have to work 180 hours of hard work to receive the same recognition. This corresponds to a third more working hours – an unreasonable additional burden for these already highly challenged professional groups.
Nurses and medical staff face physical and emotional challenges every day that often go beyond what is considered serious in other professions. The constant contact with sick people and people in need of care, the immense responsibility for their well-being as well as the often prevailing time pressure and staff shortages represent enormous stress. It is incomprehensible and unacceptable why these professions have to work more hours in order to achieve the same number of months of hard work as Employees in other areas. This additional burden contradicts the principle of equal treatment and is unacceptable.
On behalf of the GÖD health union, we urgently call on you, Mr Health Minister, to immediately end this unequal treatment. It is essential to focus on the actual burden on employees and to change the monthly assessment from a daily assessment to an hourly assessment with 120 hours for all professional groups.
A fair regulation would not only benefit those affected, but would also send a clear signal of appreciation for those professions that play a central role in our society. People in the health and care professions make an invaluable contribution to the well-being of our society every day. This work should not only be respected, but also given appropriate consideration in legal regulations.
We therefore appeal to you to address this issue during this legislative period and to take the necessary steps to reform the Heavy Labor Ordinance in the interests of fairness and justice.
We will publish this letter to draw public attention to this urgent need. The time has come for a fair and equitable adjustment to the Heavy Labor Regulations.
Best regards
Reinhard Waldhör
Chairman of the GÖD health union