Health Ministry wants to postpone raises

What did the social partners hear? The proposals put forward by Szafranowicz, who is in charge of social dialogue, come as no surprise. They are a postponement of increases from July to January (the first increase would be implemented in 2027), and a move away from the base amount (the average salary in the economy for the previous year) and labor coefficients in favor of salary indexing, which will be effective as of July 1, 2025 by a selected index (e.g., pension indexing or the coefficient of salary growth in the budget sector). The Ministry also proposes to reduce the wage gap for the groups for which nurses and midwives are qualified.

The ministry also informed the social partners about the recommendation of the AOTMiT president, which has been forwarded for implementation, that is, how to finance this year's increases.

According to information coming from the social partners, although both trade unions and employers see the need to solve the problem of contracts (primarily medical contracts), by - for example - limiting the amount that can be financed by funds from the National Health Fund, the Ministry of Health in this regard has no proposals, and although it does not rule out talks, it does not link them directly to the amendment to the law on minimum wages. This, in addition, reduces the chance of trade unions agreeing on the government side's proposals, which mean for employees of medical entities a de facto freeze on salaries after this year's increases (the proposed valorization mechanisms in practice only compensate for inflation). The talks will continue on July 10, during a meeting of the Trilateral Team for Health Care.