Coronavirus – Opposition presses for big health-care wage rises now

Opposition Jobbik is urging an immediate and radical pay rise for health-care workers in light of the novel coronavirus pandemic, the party’s deputy leader said on Saturday.

Jobbik is asking the government to bring forward a 20 percent pay rise planned for November, while another 30 percent increase promised to take effect in future years should be paid from August, László György Lukács said in an online press conference on Facebook.

• Hungary to “receive” 5.6 billion EUR from the EU to fight against coronavirus
• Hungarian taxi drivers for health care workers – Moving video

Some 24,000 doctors, 105,000 professionals and several thousand support staff are already working under pressure which is expected to increase and they deserve greater financial rewards, he added.

The effectiveness of the health-care system could determine in the upcoming period how many victims the pandemic will claim, he said.

Additionally, requests by professional organisations as well sa examples in Serbia and in western Europe show that wage increases are needed, he added.

Considering a different topic, Fidesz-Christian Democrats are strongly urging Budapest Mayor Gergely Karácsony to follow the example of Vienna and make parking free in the capital to support the containment of the novel coronavirus.

Zsolt Láng said making parking free could reduce the use of public transport by people who must commute to work.

He noted that Hungarians may only leave their homes for good reason in the next two weeks under curfew restrictions in force from Saturday.

Source: MTI