Ministry of Health and Welfare-Medical Union, Successful Agreement Ahead of Strike "Cooperation on Medical Issues"

[Financial News] The general strike of the National Health and Medical Industry Union scheduled for the 24th has been withdrawn due to a dramatic agreement with the Ministry of Health and Welfare.
The Ministry of Health and Welfare announced on the 21st that after continuing practical discussions with the union since the 17th, they promised continuous cooperation on major health and medical issues such as strengthening public healthcare and expanding medical personnel, thus amicably resolving the conflict.
This agreement is evaluated as a meaningful case of restoring trust between labor and government amid ongoing concerns over instability in the medical field and weakening public healthcare infrastructure following COVID-19.
Through this agreement, the Ministry of Health and Welfare and the Health and Medical Union once again confirmed the policy legitimacy and necessity of the labor-government agreement signed on September 2, 2021.
The 9.2 agreement includes key contents such as preparing appropriate manpower standards for each job, expanding public healthcare, and strengthening the medical safety net. This consultation clarified that substantial discussions for the implementation of previously neglected tasks will continue.
In addition, reflecting the purpose of the '2025 Policy Agreement' signed last May, both sides agreed to expand cooperation channels such as operating regular consultative bodies to strengthen public healthcare and improve structural issues in the medical field.
Through this practical consultation, the Ministry of Health and Welfare and the Health and Medical Union decided to design a new model of sustainable labor-government cooperation beyond simple conflict resolution. Accordingly, they plan to expand the union's participation in the health and medical policy decision-making process and establish governance that can practically reflect opinions from the medical field into policy.
Furthermore, both sides agreed to jointly work on the normalization and reform of the medical field, which are currently delayed due to internal conflicts within the medical community. They also expressed their willingness to mediate conflicts between the government and the medical community.
In particular, they decided to seek joint responses to sensitive issues such as wage arrears within public hospitals and labor cost issues following the Supreme Court's ruling on ordinary wages. It is expected to contribute to easing tensions on the ground and preventing gaps in medical services.
A Ministry of Health and Welfare official said, “The consultation with the Health and Medical Union is not only about resolving conflicts but also an opportunity to establish a partnership for the practical implementation of public healthcare policies and the reform of the future medical system,” adding, “We hope this agreement will be the starting point for stabilizing the medical field and restoring public trust.”
The Health and Medical Union also explained, “We agree with the government's policy direction and will engage with a mutually responsible attitude to ensure effective consultations continue.”



vrdw88@fnnews.com Kang Jung-mo Reporter