“We are sounding the alarm,” said the protestors, many of whom came with healthcare-related items like bed pans and kidney dishes, which they banged loudly in front of the parliament building.
Every month, more than 300 nurses leave the profession, said a statementExternal link released by several unions, including the one representing nurses, on Saturday.
“This further aggravates the crisis caused by the lack of resources in the health sector, and quality care can no longer be guaranteed,” added the unions, who supported the demonstration.
They outlined five points to help stem the loss of staff: a rise in salaries, a fairer calculation of time actually worked, clearer vacation allocations, more help with childcare costs and better support for last-minute shift changes.
Saturday’s demonstration comes just over a year since Swiss voters accepted a people’s initiative to improve working conditions for nurses.
The unions’ statement called on the government, cantons and employers to make good on the promises set out in the initiative.
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