The greed of public hospital doctors seems to have no bounds. Although they are among the best-paid employees on the island – Okypy estimates their annual salaries are in the region of €150,000 – they have no qualms about demanding more money.
They were put on these obscenely high salaries so they would not leave the hospitals and set up private practices as personal doctors, who saw their income rise dramatically when they joined Gesy. So they were earning top money without the costs personal doctors were burdened with such as rental for surgery premises and staff wages. Not only do they have no expenses but they are also guaranteed iron-clad job security, paid holidays, 13th salary, a big retirement bonus and generous state pension, none of which are enjoyed by personal doctors.
In short, public hospital doctors have the best of both worlds, but they still want more from the taxpayer. The latest dispute is over performance-linked pay, which was agreed in an earlier pay showdown settled by Okypy offering pay increases for all doctors plus an amount that would be determined by the income generated by the hospitals. Doctors demanded payment of the performance-related pay for 2023, but the two sides could not agree on the amount.
The doctors’ union was demanding in excess of €5m in total while Okypy had offered €4.1m. To resolve the matter, the two sides agreed to invite an independent consultant to assess what performance-related bonus the doctors should be paid based on the criteria that had been agreed and to accept the proposal regardless. The independent assessor calculated that the amount owed to the doctors was €2.5m and, predictably, the doctors’ unions have refused to accept it. Like spoiled children, they will not play because they cannot win the game.
The state doctors’ union Pasyki refused to attend a meeting that was scheduled for Monday to discuss the consultant’s assessment. Pasyki boss Sotiris Koumas claimed the assessment had not been correctly carried out and complained that the union had not been given the entire report, a claim categorically denied by Okypy; he also criticised Okypy for not discussing the report with the unions. Pasydy, which also represents hospital doctors, meanwhile wanted a meeting to be held in the presence of the health minister so that the report could be analysed and clarifications given.
So much for the unions agreeing to accept the outcome of the consultant’s assessment. They did not like the finding so they decided they are not bound by it. This attitude is to be expected from unions accustomed to always getting their way, having their most unreasonable demands satisfied by weak politicians whose only interest is votes. This is an ideal opportunity for Okypy to show the greedy public hospital doctors that they cannot always get what they want. For this to happen, the government must back Okypy, regardless of what threats the union make. It is high time doctors were made to understand that the taxpayer has no obligation to their boundless greed.
