Health care protest alert is launched. Trade unionists criticize decisions of the Ministry of Health.

The Council of the National Health Service Section of the union met at the Warsaw headquarters of the NSZZ "Solidarity" National Commission. The meeting was attended, among others, by Bartlomiej Mickiewicz, deputy chairman of the NSZZ "Solidarity" National Commission.

"The dialogue has been extinguished."

Representatives of the union point to the growing crisis of social dialogue. - The situation we are facing today led to the fact that Solidarity had to transform itself into the All-Poland Protest Committee. The main reason for this action is the practical lack of social dialogue in Poland for two years. From the central level, I can say with full responsibility that social dialogue is virtually non-existent. I don't know what it looks like with you at the level of workplaces, but at the national level the dialogue has been extinguished," Bartłomiej Mickiewicz stressed.

He also pointed to the growing scale of layoffs. - In 2025, about 100,000 people will lose their jobs in collective layoffs - a much higher number than in previous years. In such a situation, Solidarity cannot remain passive," he said. In this context, a protest action was announced under the slogan "We are going AFTER you scammers."

"Working together makes sense."

Maria Ochman, chairwoman of the Council of the National Health Service Section of the Solidarity Trade Union, spoke about the situation in health care. - The health service, like other industries, has a lot to lose today. We are holding talks, blocking unfavorable solutions, acting together with other trade union headquarters. Recently, we managed to stop proposals for changes in salaries that would have been unfavorable to employees. This shows that joint action makes sense," she stressed.

The chairman noted the need for the environment to be active. - We need to change the belief that "someone will get things done" and start acting. In previous years we have achieved a lot - we have improved the level of salaries and made significant statutory changes. But this is not a given once and for all. If we are not proactive, the pace of salary increases may be reduced to the level of minimum budget indicators.

Criticism of the Health Ministry's decision

The Council of the National Health Service Section has adopted a position on the health ministry's decisions. It reads:
"The Polish health care system is in a deep crisis and the current decisions of the ministry arouse justified public emotions and protests. Instead of a creator, the Health Ministry is becoming a liquidator of the public health service. It announced the rationalization of the organization of hospital security and it is causing a wave of blind cost-cutting that reduces the health security of citizens."

The unions also point to the consequences of the liquidation of the wards:
"The liquidation of hospital wards, including gynecology-obstetrics and neonatal wards is argued on the grounds of lack of profitability (in view of the drastically lowered valuations of medical services by AOTMIT). Thus, the government is blatantly disregarding the constitutional obligation of public authorities to provide special health care to children, pregnant women and after childbirth (Articles 68.3 and 71.2 of the Polish Constitution)."

The post also included criticism of the new regulations:
"The patient has become a pesele and a provider and his treatment conditioned by cost accounting. The Health Minister's pompously announced recovery plans ended up shifting responsibility for their implementation to "regions" or local governments. The Health Minister's decree of January 23, 2026, is intended to contribute as an incentive to the liquidation of departments and, in the future, entire hospitals. This cursory document allows the National Health Fund to pay for NON-PROFIT (!) medical services. The idea is that this is supposed to stimulate ownership bodies to make bolder decisions to eliminate hospital beds. Despite a gigantic hole in the budget, the National Health Fund will even fund long-eliminated procedures for two years!".

The authors of the post also emphasize:
"The current leadership of the Ministry of Health, instead of making key and political decisions to increase health premium runoff, is shifting responsibility for the financial deficit to health care workers, seeking savings in their wallets."

Dispute over salary increases

Tensions in the social dialogue are exacerbated by a dispute over the mechanism for minimum wage increases in health care. A recent meeting of the tripartite health care team failed to discuss a proposal to move the increases from July to January, starting in 2027, and to link wage increases to a less dynamic index.

Deputy Health Minister Katharina Kęcka said the item on raises had been "effectively postponed" by the union side to March 16, when the team's meeting was scheduled to continue.

Announcement of further activities

The National Health Service Section of the Solidarity Trade Union announces further protest actions, stressing that the goal is to defend the rights of employees and ensure patients' equal access to health services.