Hospital staff on strike
Landspítali. Photo: Ómar Óskarsson
Over 500 employees of the Icelandic Association of Academics (BHM) working at hospitals around the country came out on strike at midnight last night. Industrial action, so far with no end date, was ruled to be lawful by the Icelandic Labour Court yesterday.
Talks to resolve wage disputes collapsed last Wednesday. Páll Halldórsson, Director of BHM, accuses the State of wasting time on formalities rather than searching for a solution to the dispute.
Most areas affected
The strike will majorly affect most areas of the National University Hospital of Iceland (‘Landspítali’) and hospitals throughout the country. Most scheduled operations and specialist treatments, such as angioplasties, will have to be postponed until after the strike has been called off.
Landspítali has been working on how it is to cover emergency treatment during the strike for several weeks. It is, however, expected that industrial action will interfere with ante-natal care, radiotherapy and scheduled Caesarian sections.
Divorces will have to wait
The Union of Lawyers working for the District Commissioner (‘Sýslumaðurinn’) for Greater Reykjavik is also on strike today. While the strike is in force, divorce, separation and inheritance proceedings will not be available.
