Three-hour work stoppage announced at İskeçe General Hospital over staff shortages
The Employees’ Union of İskeçe General Hospital has announced a three-hour work stoppage on Tuesday, June 16, 2026, from 09:00 to 12:00, alongside a gathering in the hospital courtyard, in protest over chronic staff shortages.
The mobilization was decided during a general assembly of the union, which highlighted severe staffing deficiencies as the root cause of multiple daily operational problems faced by healthcare workers.
In its statement, the union emphasized that the lack of personnel leads to violations of workers’ rights, including restrictions on annual leave, failure to ensure 48-hour weekly rest, non-compliance with the 11-hour rest period between shifts, and difficulties in maintaining proper working conditions and adherence to medical protocols.
“The shortage of staff undermines both the quality and efficiency of healthcare services provided to patients, while also affecting communication between medical staff and patients,” the statement read. “The pressure of daily workload deprives healthcare workers of the time needed to build interpersonal relationships that offer comfort and reassurance.”
The union further stressed that excessive workload reduces meaningful interaction between healthcare professionals and patients, which it described as an essential element of care.
Concluding its announcement, the Employees’ Union and the Workers’ Struggle Committee called for mass recruitment of permanent staff to fill all vacant positions and urged local residents to participate in the planned mobilization.
