The Union of Freelance Workers OB Nikšić wrote to Spajić and Šimun: Our existence is being called into question

Living conditions have changed significantly, costs are rising, and our salaries are not keeping up with the pace, our existence is in question.

This was stated by the Union of Freelance Workers of the General Hospital (OB) Nikšić in an open letter to the Prime Minister of Montenegro Milojko Spajić and the Minister of Health Vojislav Šimun.

The letter from the Union of Freelance Workers of the Nikšić Labor Union to Spajić and Šimun, signed by President David Delić, is reproduced in full:

"Dear President Spajić, Dear Minister of Health Šimun,

We, the nurses and technicians from Nikšić, are addressing you through this channel because we have been silent for too long, and we have suffered for too long. Our voices have not been heard strongly enough, even though we perform one of the most responsible, most difficult, but also most humane jobs in the Montenegrin healthcare system every day.

We spend days and nights by the sickbed, often putting our own health at risk. Our work is the foundation of the healthcare system, but our role, unfortunately, remains underestimated and neglected. For years, almost no one has paid attention to our financial situation. Living conditions have changed significantly, costs are rising, and our salaries are not keeping up. Our existence is in question.

We appeal to you to treat our work with the respect and seriousness it deserves. Our profession must be valued, respected, professional, and adequately paid, not rendered meaningless, undervalued, and reduced to mere survival. You, as the highest representatives of government, have the power to change this, and we hope the will.

Healthcare workers in general hospitals, health centers, the Emergency Medical Service, the Blood Transfusion Service, specialized hospitals, nursing homes and Clinical Centers of Montenegro, as well as support and technical staff, carry an enormous burden every day. We are expected to be available, patient, punctual, responsible, empathetic, but no one asks us how we can support ourselves and our families with that same salary.

Like our colleagues across Europe and the world, we want to be able to provide a roof over our heads, food, education for our children, and a dignified old age from our work. We are not looking for luxury, we are looking for basic justice.

Dear President and Minister, is that really too much to ask for in the 21st century?

We are sure that you will recognize the gravity of the problem we are presenting and that you will show your willingness to improve the working and living conditions of those who are the pillars of the healthcare system for the citizens of Montenegro.

We also appeal to all our colleagues in Montenegro to be united and persistent in demanding an increase in our salaries and material status!

Sincerely,

"Union of freelance workers OB Nikšić," the letter states.