Social workers announce possible strike starting next week

Georgian social workers, who say that their rights remain unprotected, may go on strike starting Monday if the Heath Ministry officials refuse to meet with them this week. 

The social workers say that the Social Agency of the Ministry of Health has failed to ensure proper working conditions for them and ‘factually’ suspended negotiations.

• Georgian social workers go on strike, demanding better working conditions

They say that the professional union Solidarity Network (which acted on behalf of social workers) and the Social Agency had a legal dispute and social workers asked for mediation in the process. 

The mediation also failed and we requested an additional round. However, eight months have passed since we made the request and there is no response from the agency,” the Solidarity Network said. 

The professional union says that if the health minister and the head of the agency refuse to meet with social workers in the week, the social workers will go on strike as ‘they will have no other way.’ 

The union also urged the health ministry to make a comment on the suspended mediation.