Doctors at clinics in six federal states have gone on a warning strike. The doctors' union Marburger Bund had called for walkouts in Bavaria, Baden-Württemberg, Hesse, North Rhine-Westphalia, Rhineland-Palatinate and Saarland.

According to the union, around 4,000 doctors from several federal states came to a central rally in Munich. Andreas Botzlar from the chairmanship of the federal association Marburger Bund called on the employers in Munich to submit an offer that recognizes the work of the doctors.

The situation in many houses is already so critical that emergency staffing has become the norm, said Botzlar. Employers would have it in their own hands to take the pressure off the boiler.

Emergency treatment guaranteed

The Association of Municipal Employers (VKA) repeatedly criticized the strike as unnecessary muscle flexing at the expense of the patients. The Marburger Bund has no understanding of the financially tense situation in the hospitals, it said.

According to the Marburger Bund, emergency treatment of patients is guaranteed in the affected clinics. Emergency service agreements were offered to the clinics.

The Marburger Bund is demanding a 2.5 percent increase in salaries from employers for the approximately 55,000 doctors at the municipal clinics. In addition, with effect from January 1, 2023, there should be a compensation for the price increases that have accumulated since the last fee increase in October 2021. A next round of negotiations is scheduled for April 3rd and 4th.