In early November 2000, doctors and dentists in Luxembourg went on strike in protest at a government plan to increase their contribution to the financial equilibrium of the sickness insurance scheme.
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In early November 2000, doctors and dentists in Luxembourg went on strike in protest at a government plan to increase their contribution to the financial equilibrium of the sickness insurance scheme.
The Union of Sickness Funds (Union des Caisses de maladie, UCM) is the umbrella body for Luxembourg's various sickness insurance funds. The funds' deficit has been a matter of controversy in recent years: the budget was balanced in 1997 following an increase in contributions, which sparked off protests from employers and the government (LU9712135N); then, in November 1998, a reduction in contributions won widespread approval (LU9812184N); and since November 1999, it has been the turn of the employee representatives to voice concern (LU9912118F).
The members of the "quadripartite" committee (involving government representatives, the social partners, health professionals and a number of service providers) which oversees the sickness funds met on 25 October 2000 to prepare the ground for an agreement prior to the UCM general meeting on 15 November. The main purpose of the general meeting is to present balanced budgets for the various sickness funds.
The Association of Luxembourg Doctors and Dentists (Association des médecins et médecins-dentistes du Grand-Duché de Luxembourg, AMMD) walked out of the quadripartite meeting after an hour in protest against a government decision of 20 October obliging some health service providers to contribute more to the financial balancing of the sickness insurance scheme.
AMMD then announced its decision to take strike action on 2-3 November 2000 when, with the exception of the staff in the emergency health services, 1,200 doctors participated in the strike. After the strike was over, the Association gave the government two weeks to review its proposal and to present a reform of the 1992 law on the UCM. If the dispute is not resolved by 20 November, AMMD will take further action, and its agreement with the UCM will be terminated if this proves "necessary".
AMMD claims that the situation of the liberal professions has changed considerably since the early 1990s, and that they now find themselves in competition with colleagues from across Luxembourg's borders. In a press release, AMMD stated that it "had lost all confidence in the procedures currently in place, and in administrative action". The Association says that it no longer wishes to play a supernumerary role and be the "eternal scapegoat", and has made it clear that it is not prepared to rejoin the quadripartite committee "until a major restructuring of the administrative organisation has restored an acceptably secure balance".
Eurofound doporučuje citovat tuto publikaci následujícím způsobem.
Eurofound (2000), Doctors take industrial action, article.
