When the Care Union’s strike was activated last week, elected representatives came out and said that care workers should not work the extra shifts that were posted during the summer. Then suddenly half of the staff required at the emergency room in Umeå was missing.
– It shows how few we are and how we solve our gaps with ourselves instead of with more people, says Martina Nygren, nurse and elected representative at the emergency department.
The healthcare crisis in Västerbotten
Here, the healthcare staff in Umeå gather during the strike: “Do not leave the office”
Several strike notices are withdrawn in Västerbotten
Concerns about staffing
Now the region wants to extend the holiday period until September to make it through the summer. They have also asked if temporary staff can work during the summer.
– It’s a cloud of worry. We have more than 50 percent of the staff away during certain critical weeks. It’s downright expensive for an emergency department, says Paula Johagen, who is operations manager.
Want to move holidays
On Friday last week, they had a negotiation that ended in disagreement, but they are now going to start negotiating about moving parts of vacation for about 15 people.
– It’s not about whole holidays, but between one and ten days per person that we have to move, says Paula Johagen.
Martin Backlund and Martina Nygren work as nurses at the emergency department in Umeå. They are critical of the fact that the region now wants to move part of the holiday. Hear more of the criticism in the clip.