The Marburger Bund union has called on doctors at university hospitals to go on strike. They demand more money and better working conditions.

Strike in university hospitals: the stethoscope is left aside Photo: image alliance / Patrick Seeger/dpa

Hanover dpa | Patients at teaching hospitals across the country should expect restrictions this Tuesday (January 30). Within the framework of the collective dispute with the federal states, the Marburger Bund union has called more than 20,000 doctors from the 23 state university hospitals across the country to a warning strike. According to the Marburg Bund, several thousand participants are expected at the central demonstration that will take place on Tuesday (1:00 p.m.) in Hanover.

The union demands a 12.5 percent increase in doctors' salaries and improvements in working conditions. So far no agreement has been reached with the Collective Bargaining Association of German States (TdL) in three rounds of negotiations.

The two university hospitals in Lower Saxony, namely the Medical School of Hannover (MHH) and the University Medical Center Göttingen, are also affected. Patient care, especially urgent care, is guaranteed, the University Medical Center Göttingen announced on its website. In some areas there could be delays and cancellations on Tuesday. According to the Bund in Marburg, a protest action is planned at the MHH at 11:30.

Working conditions in university hospitals undermine patient care, said Hans Martin Wollenberg, first president of the Marburg Federation of Lower Saxony. Teaching hospitals urgently need to increase their attractiveness as employers so that more doctors want to work there again. According to the union, the base salary of doctors in university hospitals is between 200 and 600 euros lower than that in municipal hospitals with longer working hours.

The TdL regretted the failure of the last round of negotiations with the Marburger Bund and announced its willingness to reach a compromise. “It remains the case that our recognition of the work of doctors at university hospitals should also be expressed in money,” said Monika Heinold (Greens), Finance Minister of Schleswig-Holstein and TdL negotiator.