Strike in hospitals enters third day: union members demand real negotiations, not just 6,800 positions

Romania's healthcare system is now in its third day of a general strike, with the situation in hospitals growing increasingly tense. In numerous medical facilities, activity has been drastically reduced, wards are operating with exhausted medical teams, and patients are waiting for hours to be seen, according to Realitatea PLUS.

In response to the protest, the Government has announced an initial measure: the unblocking of 6,800 positions within the healthcare system. However, union representatives consider this decision to address only a fraction of the issues raised, and are refusing to call off the strike. Furthermore, they are considering taking the protests from hospitals to the streets.

Union representatives delivered a strongly worded message to the authorities: "Unfortunately, what those in government and political decision-makers are showing us is a complete mockery. Our demands still remain unresolved. Positions were unblocked as recently as yesterday, but it is not enough. We will not stop this protest until we are invited to genuine debate — not the token consultations we have seen up to now. We are here, first and foremost, to secure the unblocking of positions so that we can provide quality medical care. We want real, substantive negotiations."

The union representatives are thus insisting on the need for concrete dialogue with the authorities, rather than merely formal engagement, stressing that their primary demand remains the unblocking of the positions necessary to ensure quality medical care.