International

Finally, the proposal to increase wages for health care professionals has been adopted. On various occasions, leader of the SP Lilian Marijnissen, submitted proposals for a fair reward for our health care professionals. It should not be limited to applause only. On September 5th, we held the largest online manifestation on the Malieveld ever, and we collected more than 120.000 signatures for a fair reward. 

Time after time the coalition parties did not want to support the proposals for increased wages. Last summer, MP’s even ran out of the Second Chamber because they did not want to vote on it. That was a slap in the face of our health care professionals. Later, in the First Chamber, an SP proposal was adopted, and in the Second Chamber a mistake was made, causing an ‘accidental’ majority. But, because the coalition still did not want the proposal to be adopted, health care professionals are still waiting for their salary increase. 

Lilian Marijnissen is very happy with the adoption of the proposal. ‘The staff shortage in healthcare is very high, and to make work in healthcare more attractive a higher reward is definitely necessary. Next to more agency and less bureaucracy, of course. Health care professionals who have their noses to the grindstone every day deserve more than an applause and an incidental bonus’. 

Marijnissen will keep insisting that the adopted proposals are carried out by the government. Marijnissen: ‘We need to sort this very quickly. The Cabinet has been evading it for far too long, whilst health care professionals who work during the ongoing corona-crisis definitely deserve higher wages.’