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| Park Myung-ha, right, a senior member of the Korea Medical Association (KMA), speaks during a news conference in front of the KMA building in Yongsan District, Tuesday, announcing plans made by a coalition of 13 medical workers' organizations to protest against the controversial passage of the Nursing Act. Yonhap |
Coalition threatens general strike May 17 if president does not veto bill
By Jun Ji-hye
A group of doctors and other medical workers ― except professional nurses ― will begin a collective action on Wednesday in protest of the controversial introduction last Thursday of the Nursing Act by the National Assembly controlled by the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea.
A coalition of 13 medical workers' organizations including the Korea Medical Association (KMA) and the Korean Licensed Practical Nurses Association announced Tuesday that its collective actions will begin with shortening consultation and practicing hours, and holding rallies across the country.
In Seoul, a rally will be held at 5:30 p.m. near the National Assembly.
The coalition led by the KMA ― comprised of doctors ― said another partial strike will be held on May 11.
The coalition threatened its 4 million members will go on a general strike on May 17 if President Yoon Suk Yeol does not exercise his veto power against the bill.
The partial strike may have minimal impact as the medical workers are planning to work normally in the morning and join the strike in the late afternoon "to minimize any inconvenience to patients."
But, as the coalition is comprised of radiology technicians, dentists, emergency medical technicians and care workers, as well as doctors and nursing assistants, its general strike could paralyze medical services for the public.
Bracing for possible chaos in the country's health care system, the Ministry of Health and Welfare has shifted into emergency mode, asking the coalition to refrain from collective actions.
"The Nursing Act is a bad law as it privileges only nurses and discriminates against other medical workers," Park Myung-ha, a senior member of the KMA, said during press conference. "According to the KMA survey, more than 80 percent of the medical workers agreed with the need to take collective actions against such a bad law."
Park noted the coalition is paying keen attention to whether President Yoon will veto the bill.
"We hope the president will make a decision. Then, the coalition will hold additional discussions regarding our plans after May 17," he said.
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| Lee Pil-soo, left, president of the Korea Medical Association (KMA), holds hands with Kwak Ji-yeon, who heads the Korean Licensed Practical Nurses Association, at a sit-in protest site in front of the KMA building in Yongsan District, Tuesday. The two began a hunger strike after the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea passed the controversial Nursing Act unilaterally last Thursday. Yonhap |
Last Thursday, the main opposition party passed the Nursing Act unilaterally at the Assembly's plenary session despite the fierce opposition from the medical workers and the ruling People Power Party (PPP). At the time, the PPP said it would ask the president to veto the bill.
The Nursing Act is aimed at clarifying the scope of nurses' duties to improve their working conditions. Nurses have long complained about ambiguities in their roles and duties as stipulated in the Medical Services Act that they claim have increased their workload.
Doctors have opposed the bill, calling into question the details of the law that let nurses perform their duties in "local communities." Doctors claimed this would give too much authority to nurses and allow them to intervene in the duties of physicians.
Other medical workers, especially nursing assistants, claimed they could suffer discrimination.
The Constitution allows the president to veto a bill within 15 days after its passage in the Assembly.
The situation could get tricky as the president's possible veto could prevent the worst-case scenario of the large-scale strike, but in this case, the Korean Nurses Association is likely to protest.
For its part, the health ministry held an emergency meeting presided over by Second Vice Minister Park Min-soo on Tuesday morning, urging the medical workers to refrain from a suspension of their services.
"We also ask local governments to make full preparations to prevent any shortage of medical services for the public," Park said.
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