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COVID-19 hospital workers’ fight kicked off in front of Blue House

by KANG,YeonBae posted Feb 16, 2021 Replies 0
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KHMU Newsletter No. 3 February 16, 2021

COVID-19 hospital workers’ fight kicked off in front of Blue House

In amidst of the intense cold, workers got into a protest: “We can’t hold out any longer. ROK President, solve the issues responsibly!” 

In the morning on 2nd, the Korean Health and Medical Workers’ Union (KHMU) opened the press conference to declare the all-out fight’s kick-off and got into a protest for an indefinite period.

Calling for increased manpower and improved response system to infectious diseases, the KHMU urged the current administration to: ▲ increase manpower capacity in COVID-19 hospitals ▲ set up criteria for manpower needed by groups of symptom severity ▲ come up with a fair support mechanism, and ▲ strengthen the public ownership of medical services.

 The press conference was joined by workers from COVID-19 hospitals nationwide.

In her opening speech, President Na Soon-ja mentioned the manpower shortage in COVID-19 hospitals and added, “We have called the government to take fundamental actions since last year but we have saw no effective actions yet but words and plans only.” She also emphasized the importance of extended public medical services and a sufficient level of health workers in achieving a true K-quarantine system.

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The branch head Kim Jung-eun at Seoul Seonam Hospital shared such difficulties faced by on-site workers. Ms. Kim said, “More and more workers decided to leave hospitals due to the tough environment and heavy burdensome. But, the hospital management keep saying that there’s no way to improve the conditions as we are in a national emergency situation.” She also emphasized that it is necessary to establish a staffing guideline in relation to COVID-19 and provide a full financial support for labor cost that may incur due to additional employment. “Resignation of experienced nursing staff is directly relevant to safety of patients. Improve working environment so that nurses can continue to work,” Ms. Kim said.

The branch head Won Eun-ju at Sokcho Medical Center said, “ In a very tough time last year, salary payment was even delayed at the Medical Center.” According to Ms. Won, Sokcho Medical Center is not only an infection specialized hospital but the only public clinic where women can give birth in the region. Hence, the Center has been running outpatient units and general wards besides the COVID-19 ward. Nonetheless, due to such ridiculously insufficient indemnification for loss, the Center has been going through financial difficulties.

“Perhaps due to heavy workload or constant contact with COVID-19 patients, several nurses have tested positive for COVID-19. Whenever pandemic occurred, the government came up with a new staffing policy but the policies were not practical on site, not being a help for medical staff at all. Worse, the government started discussing how to reduce the number of sick beds for COVID-19 once the moment of crisis passed,” Ms. Won said. 

In addition, she appealed to the public, “I came out here as we will not be able to hold out for the fourth pandemic once it occurs. Improve working conditions and benefits for infection specialized hospitals and public workers and expand the employment quota in hospitals so that they can safely and stably continue to work.”

The Vice President Lee Sun-hee at the KHMU read aloud a press conference statement. She said, “We can’t help but to ask what this administration has been doing for countermeasures to fundamentally solve the staff shortage issue over the past year. It is urgent and necessary to set up a staffing policy that can establish a proper response system to possibly upcoming pandemics.”

Major requests by the KHMU include: first, set up a staffing guideline for COVID-19 by severity levels (patients with dementia, mental disorders and/or mobility issues, etc.) and provide supports where necessary. Second, heighten a staffing quota level for public medical institutions and provide financial support for labor cost. Third, provide life and safety allowance to all healthcare workers at the front line in the battle against COVID-19 and expand the assistance to any workers involved in quarantine and anti-infection work to ensure there is no blind spot which quarantine efforts cannot reach. 

On the same day, after the press conference, protesters opened a performance of wearing a red sash on a hazmat suit. From that day, union members have been in protest before the Blue House for 24 hours every day by groups in rotation. Protesters continue struggling in front of the Korean presidential residence where neither a tent nor electricity is permitted in this winter cold weather.

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Korean Health & Medical Workers' Union

Address KHMU Bldg, 10 Beodeunaru-ro 16-gil, Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul, 07230 Korea

Tel +82 2 2677 4889

Fax +82 2 2677 1769

E-mail khmuinfo@gmail.com