Minister of Health Kenan Hrapović and representatives of the Health Trade Union signed today the Amendments to the Branch Collective Agreement, according to which salaries for employees in the health sector will increase by 15,3 percent.
Hrapović said that salaries for healthcare workers will increase by 12 percent this year and by an additional three percent in 2021, and that the changes will apply from March 1.
"The estimate of the necessary additional funds for earnings for this year amounts to 9 million and 37 thousand euros. Neophon's funds are planned by the Budget Law for 2020 within the current Budget of the Health Insurance Fund. For the year 2021, it was estimated that additional funds in the amount of 2 million 973 thousand euros are needed on an annual basis," said Hrapović.
The total increase in the salary budget for healthcare employees in 2021 amounts to 12 million and 10 thousand euros.
"I am convinced that everyone in the country understands and supports this decision of the Government when it comes to the health system. I am sure that we understand the importance of such a decision by the Government, especially in the context of global events concerning the migration and movement of doctors and medical personnel who are present throughout Europe and beyond. I believe that this is a responsible attitude of the Government to such challenges," said Hrapović.
He recalled the multimillion-dollar allocations to the Zdravstvo Housing Cooperative, the multimillion-dollar payments for several hundred specializations and subspecializations for doctors, the investment of hundreds of thousands of euros in the continuous training of employees, multimillion-dollar investments in the reconstruction and adaptation of health institutions, as well as the multimillion-dollar procurement of medical equipment.
"All these activities are proof that the Government and the Ministry of Health lead a responsible policy towards healthcare employees, because all of these are significant, both indirect and direct investments in raising the standards of employees in the healthcare system. "I believe that the Government will continue in the coming period to allocate funds to increase the wages of employees not only in the health system, but also in all other departments of the state administration," Hrapović pointed out.
The President of the Health Trade Union of the Confederation of Trade Unions of Montenegro (SSCG), Ljiljana Krivokapić, said that 30 were requested, but that within the limits of the possible, the coefficients were increased by 12 percent this year for all employees, except for executive directors.
"Our goal is for our wages to be as recognized with the same level of occupation in the Law on Wages in the Public Sector, i.e. to be 16, 18 and 20. And I hope that with the dynamics and strategy of further increase, that coefficient will be reached quickly," Krivokapić said.
She pointed out that a lot has been done in healthcare in the last few years.
"It is evident in infrastructure, equipment, education. And now, as a union, we wanted to focus on the employee. Employees in the health care system cannot be satisfied, but we try to make as many satisfied as possible. And of course our task is to control all incomes in the healthcare system in the future", said Krivokapić.
The President of the Health Trade Union at the Health Employees' Union of Montenegro, Nebojša Radonjić, believes that the salary increase is very fair.
"With this increase, I hope that the outflow of personnel, which is often mentioned in the media, will decrease. However, our data shows that there is practically no such outflow at the moment. I don't see too much outflow at the moment. We are satisfied, and we will be more satisfied and happier when a special collective agreement is passed only for the Clinical Center of Montenegro", said Radonjić.
President of the Health Syndicate of the Union of Free Trade Unions of Montenegro (USSCG), Vladimir Pavićević, said that there are both satisfied and dissatisfied people in that union.
"The negotiations were very long and difficult. There were a lot of talks with representatives of the Government and with the Prime Minister, and after long and difficult negotiations, this increase in coefficients was agreed upon. It is difficult to explain to employees what the increase is until they see their paychecks at the end of the month. Therefore, the March earnings will be increased by these coefficients," Pavićević said.
He said that he expects that during this year the conditions will be met to improve some parameters of the Branch Collective Agreement "to the satisfaction of health workers".
According to him, a nurse with 20 years of experience has so far received 380 euros, and with the increase she will receive around 430, and in 2021 she will receive almost 450 euros.
"I'm talking about basic wages, without overtime and all other extras. As for nurses with a higher, higher professional qualification, their earnings will go up to 600 euros. As for doctors of medicine, until now they had 540 euros, and now with this increase they will have from 600 to 620 euros, depending on the years of service," said Pavićević.
As for specialists, as he said, those with 20 years of experience have had between 720 and 760 euros until now, and now they will have between 820 and 860 euros.
"A sub-specialist with 20 years of experience had a basic salary of around 840 euros until now, and now he will have around 950 euros," said Pavićević.
When asked by journalists whether they believe that the salary increase will be enough to prevent the departure of staff abroad and whether the decision on the salary increase was delayed, Hrapović said that there is no significant departure of staff from the health care system.
"The Government of Montenegro and the Ministry of Health strive to provide adequate and favorable conditions for the work and progress of everyone in all health institutions, and this is evident. And our doctors recognize that. They believe in the Montenegrin health system. And the fact that a large number of doctors from other countries came to work here shows that they also believe in the Montenegrin health system," said Hrapović.
Krivokapić said that there were and will be departures outside the country, but "we are here to say stay here because we will fight to create the conditions for you to be satisfied".
Pavićević said that young staff have many opportunities to go abroad and that in addition to wages, it is necessary to work on improving all other working conditions.
Journalists asked Hrapović what the fact that the World Health Organization declared a global threat of the corona virus epidemic yesterday means for Montenegrin healthcare and whether there will be increased controls.
He replied that the health condition of all persons who were placed under medical supervision is good and without signs and symptoms of respiratory infections and that more intensive surveillance measures are being taken.
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