More than 80 percent of the almost 300 nurses who had resigned at Landspítali National University Hospital had withdrawn their resignations on Friday. Further announcements may be received by mail this week.

Following the pay raise of nurses, other professions at Landspítali are hoping for improved wages. Erna Einarsdóttir, managing director of the hospital’s human resources division and chair of its wage and salaries committee, told Fréttablaðið that the state must contribute. “We don’t have any money, unfortunately.”

Erna is expecting tough negotiations with staff in other professions at the hospital on new institutional agreements, pointing out that Minister of Welfare Guðbjartur Hannesson had stated that improving wages of nurses is only the beginning.

“Guðbjartur has also declared that x-ray technicians and biomedical scientists will be included in the overhaul,” she added. Furthermore, labor union Efling has requested negotiations on wages with the hospital, as has the Union of Practical Nurses.

Efling has expressed concern that part of the pay raises is to come from rationalization of the hospital’s operations, demanding that the funds for improving wages for healthcare workers will be included in the state budget.

Click here to read more about the wage dispute of nurses.

ESA