GERMANY - Germany's striking doctors march

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Wednesday, 22 March 2006,

20:31 GMT

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Germany's striking doctors march

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By Ray Furlong

BBC News, Hanover

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

German doctors

have carried out a series of staggered strikes and marches

 

 

 

Doctors from

state-run hospitals in Germany have held a demonstration in Hanover continuing a strike they began last week.

About 20,000 doctors have been holding staggered strikes at

various locations across the country, calling for better pay conditions.

They say cuts over the last 10 years have made their position

unbearable

The German authorities have said they cannot meet the conditions

and have branded the strikes irresponsible.

" We need to finally get a respectable income, " doctors' union chief

Frank Montgomery told about 5,000 doctors in Hanover.

A mass of white coats, they had marched through the city in

support of their demands.

Germany has a high standard of public health

care. But Mr Montgomery said this was now at stake.

" Well, the standards of health care are very high and we

want to maintain them and you can only maintain high standards if you have

qualified doctors, if you have well-paid doctors, if you have motivated

doctors and if your doctors are not over-tired, " he said.

Public sector woe

About 20,000 doctors have now been on strike since last Tuesday,

taking it in turns to hold stoppages in different areas of the country.

But the German authorities point to budgetary constraints,

arguing the union's demands are

unrealistic.

The strike comes amid a wider dispute in the public sector, with

nurses, rubbish collectors and road maintenance workers on strike for the

last seven weeks.

Workers in the country's massive engineering

sector have also threatened to strike if they do not get an acceptable wage

offer by Easter.

The disputes are a reminder that despite the popularity of

Chancellor Angela Merkel, Germany's economic

problems remain.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/4834954.stm

 

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