Deadlock as doctors want 60% wage hike

Santo Domingo.- As expected the Public Health Ministry andthe Dominican Medical Association failed to reach an agreement, as the leadersof the physicians showed a skeptical attitude even before the talks started.

Guild president Waldo Ariel Suero made four proposals tothe government, including the appointment of staff and better pensions for healthsector public servants, but both were discarded by Health minister AltagraciaGuzman.

The doctors also want to negotiate over the allocation of 5%of GDP to the health sector and a 60% wage increase.

Suero called for a meeting of health sector workers for 10amTuesday to plan the way forward after failing to reach an agreement, whil Guzmanasked him to avert “political contaminated,” as his was a “non-union position.”