🚨 Health and Medical Workers' Union: Role of Labor Union for Improving Medical Workplace

Today Korean Social News | 2025.07.19

📌 "Medical workers can't take it anymore"…Health and Medical Workers' Union decides on general strike to pressure government

💬 The Health and Medical Workers' Union announced a general strike for July 24, showing the serious situation in medical workplaces. In a vote by union members on strike action, the approval rate reached 92.1%, the highest ever recorded. The union strongly argued that while the September 2 labor-government agreement signed in 2021 has not been properly implemented, problems like long working hours, staff shortages, and illegal medical practices continue. The general strike will affect 127 workplaces nationwide with about 60,000 workers. Emergency rooms, operating rooms and other essential departments will maintain minimum staff to continue operations. This strike aims to demand responsible government responses to requests like restoring negotiation committees, making staff standards into law, and introducing a 4-day work week.

Summary

• The Health and Medical Workers' Union protects the rights of medical staff and employees working in hospitals, health centers and other medical facilities.
• It works to improve staff shortages and poor working conditions in medical workplaces.
• The ultimate goal is to provide better medical services to citizens by improving the working environment for medical staff.

1️⃣ Definition

Health and Medical Workers' Union means a labor union created by medical staff and employees working in medical institutions like hospitals, health centers, and nursing homes to improve working conditions and protect their rights. Nurses, medical technicians, caregivers, cleaners, cooks and all other workers in medical institutions can join.

This is not just about asking for higher wages, but about solving structural problems in medical workplaces so medical staff can work safely and healthily, and ultimately provide quality medical services to citizens.

💡 Why is this important?

• Improves quality of medical services by improving working conditions for medical staff.
• Protects patient safety by solving staff shortages and overwork problems in medical workplaces.
• Helps secure excellent medical workers through fair wages and working conditions.
• Builds a sustainable medical system by protecting the rights of medical staff.

2️⃣ Main Activities and Role of Health and Medical Workers' Union

📕 Organization and Activity Range

• The Health and Medical Workers' Union includes workers from various medical institutions. Main members include:

  • Nurses and nursing assistants make up the largest portion.
  • Medical technicians like clinical laboratory technologists, radiologists, and physical therapists are included.
  • Care service providers like caregivers and care workers also participate.
  • Support staff for cleaning, cooking, and security at medical institutions are also union members.
  • About 60,000 union members work at 127 workplaces nationwide.

• They carry out various types of activities. Main activities include:

  • Collective bargaining to improve wages and working conditions.
  • Demanding prevention of safety accidents and improvement of working environments in medical workplaces.
  • Raising issues about illegal work orders or unfair treatment.
  • Participating in discussions with government to improve medical policies.
  • Providing education for union members and counseling to protect their rights.

📕 September 2 Labor-Government Agreement and Main Issues

• The September 2 Labor-Government Agreement was an important promise to improve medical workplaces. Main contents include:

  • An agreement signed between the government and Health and Medical Workers' Union on September 2, 2021.
  • Expanding health insurance coverage for hospital caregiving costs was the main content.
  • Plans to expand public healthcare and secure medical workers were included.
  • Measures to improve working conditions for nurses and other medical staff were specified.
  • Promised to solve medical system problems revealed during COVID-19 response.

• Various problems occurred during the implementation process. Main problems include:

  • Health insurance coverage for caregiving costs has been delayed beyond schedule.
  • Expansion of public healthcare and increase in medical workers has not been sufficient.
  • Long working hours and excessive workload for medical staff continue.
  • Medical staff burnout and turnover rates increased sharply after COVID-19.
  • Communication channels were blocked as government consultation committees stopped operating.

📕 Current Main Problems in Medical Workplaces

• Working conditions for medical staff are very poor. Main problems include:

  • The number of patients per nurse is 2-3 times the OECD average.
  • Night shifts and holiday work are frequent, making it hard to get enough rest.
  • Fair compensation for overtime work is not properly provided.
  • It's difficult to use annual leave, and even break time is often not guaranteed.
  • Mental and physical health problems from stress are serious.

• Structural staff shortage problems are the root cause. Main situations include:

  • Hospitals are increasingly limiting bed occupancy rates due to nurse shortages.
  • High turnover rates among experienced nurses increase the workload for new nurses.
  • Staff shortages are even more serious at night and on weekends.
  • Although medical staff was increased after COVID-19, it's still insufficient.
  • Staff shortages at regional medical institutions are at an even more serious level.

Main Issues Raised by Health and Medical Workers' Union

1. Making staff standards into law: Legally establish proper staffing standards like nurse-to-patient ratios
2. Reducing working hours: Reduce working hours and share jobs through introducing 4-day work weeks
3. Improving treatment: Build fair compensation systems including night shift allowances and hazard pay
4. Safe working environment: Systems to protect medical staff from verbal abuse, violence, and sexual harassment
5. Restoring consultation committees: Normalize labor-government consultation committees for continuous communication with government

3️⃣ Background of General Strike and Current Medical Situation

✅ Background and Demands of This General Strike

• This general strike shows the critical situation in medical workplaces. Main background includes:

  • The record-high approval rate of 92.1% shows the desperation of the workplace.
  • No substantial improvements have been made for over 3 years since the September 2 Labor-Government Agreement.
  • Increased workload for medical staff after COVID-19 has not been normalized.
  • A vicious cycle continues due to increasing turnover rates among medical staff.
  • Communication channels with government were blocked, making it impossible to find solutions.

• Specific demands have been presented. Main demands include:

  • Demanding legal establishment of proper staffing standards like nurse-to-patient ratios.
  • Proposing reduced working hours and job sharing through introducing 4-day work weeks.
  • Demanding fair treatment improvements including night shift and hazard pay.
  • Urging safety measures to prevent verbal abuse and violence against medical staff.
  • Requesting restoration of labor-government consultation committees for continuous communication with government.

✅ Structural Problems in Korea's Medical System

• Korea's medical system has unique structural problems. Main problems include:

  • Low medical insurance fees make hospitals reluctant to invest in personnel.
  • Preference for large hospitals makes it even harder for small and medium hospitals to secure staff.
  • Medical school enrollment limits restrict the supply of doctors.
  • Nursing school enrollment is sufficient, but serious dropout due to working conditions.
  • Lack of public nature due to private-centered medical system.

• The level is poor even compared internationally. Main comparison indicators include:

  • Among OECD countries, the number of patients per nurse is at the highest level.
  • Working hours for medical staff are much longer compared to other countries.
  • High family dependence on caregiving services increases the workload for medical staff.
  • High stress from the culture of holding individuals responsible when medical accidents occur.
  • Lack of social respect and protection for medical staff.

4️⃣ Related Terms

🔎 Labor-Government Agreement

• Labor-Government Agreement is an official promise between labor unions and government.
• Labor-Government Agreement means documenting the content reached through consultation between labor unions (worker representatives) and government on specific issues. While it has no legal binding force, it has political and moral binding power and becomes an important standard for government policy making.
• Main features of Labor-Government Agreements include: First, it serves as a channel for government to collect opinions from labor during policy decision processes. Second, it's used as a means to resolve social conflicts and promote cooperation. Third, whether the agreement content is implemented is directly connected to government credibility. Fourth, it functions to coordinate labor union demands with government policy directions.
• The September 2 Labor-Government Agreement was an important agreement between the Health and Medical Workers' Union and government to solve medical system problems revealed during COVID-19 response. However, delays and limitations in the implementation process led to the current conflict situation.

🔎 Caregiving Cost Health Insurance

• Caregiving Cost Health Insurance is a system where the government supports the cost of caregiving services.
• Caregiving Cost Health Insurance means a system where health insurance supports the cost of caregiving services needed by hospitalized patients. Currently in Korea, most caregiving costs are directly paid by patients or families, creating a very large medical cost burden.
• The necessity of Caregiving Cost Health Insurance includes: First, it can reduce the economic burden on families. Second, it provides professional caregiving services to help patient recovery. Third, family members don't need to quit their jobs to provide care. Fourth, working conditions and treatment for caregivers can be improved.
• In the September 2 Labor-Government Agreement, expanding health insurance coverage for caregiving costs was core content, but implementation has been delayed due to budget issues and complexity of system design. This is one of the main reasons the Health and Medical Workers' Union decided on this strike.

🔎 Medical Staff to Patient Ratio

• Medical staff to patient ratio is an important indicator showing the quality of medical services.
• Medical staff to patient ratio is an indicator showing the number of patients that one nurse or doctor handles at the same time, and is an important standard for measuring the quality and safety of medical services. The lower the ratio (the fewer patients per nurse), the more intensive and safe treatment is possible.
• The importance of proper ratios includes: First, it's directly connected to patient safety and is crucial for preventing medical accidents. Second, it maintains medical staff workload at appropriate levels to prevent burnout. Third, it can provide quality medical services to patients. Fourth, it directly affects medical staff job satisfaction and turnover rates.
• Korea has 2-3 times more patients per nurse compared to the OECD average, leading to overwork for medical staff and patient safety problems. The Health and Medical Workers' Union demands that such ratios be legally established and enforced.

5️⃣ Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q: What happens to patients when medical staff go on strike?

A: The Health and Medical Workers' Union strike is conducted with patient safety as the top priority. First, departments directly related to life like emergency rooms, intensive care units, and operating rooms will maintain normal operations with essential staff. Second, treatments that cannot be stopped like dialysis and chemotherapy will continue to be provided. Third, treatment for emergency patients or critically ill patients will not be stopped even during the strike. Fourth, each hospital will establish emergency plans to maintain minimum medical services. However, general outpatient care, tests, and surgeries may be temporarily reduced or postponed. Patients should contact hospitals in advance to confirm their treatment schedules, and if possible, delay non-urgent care until after the strike ends. Medical staff are also carefully planning the strike to make their legitimate demands known without harming patients.

Q: Why are working conditions for medical staff so poor?

A: Poor working conditions for medical staff result from multiple structural problems working together. First, low medical insurance fees make hospitals focus on cost reduction rather than personnel investment. Second, the long and complex process of training medical staff means supply cannot keep up with demand. Third, shift work and night work are unavoidable due to the nature of medical institutions operating 24 hours. Fourth, excessive demands from patients and guardians, and verbal abuse and violence against medical staff increase work stress. Fifth, the culture of holding individuals responsible for medical accidents creates great mental burden. Sixth, since caregiving services are not institutionalized, medical staff often have to handle caregiving work too. To solve these problems, comprehensive measures are needed including making medical insurance fees realistic, expanding medical personnel, institutionalizing caregiving services, and strengthening laws to protect medical staff. Ultimately, improving working conditions for medical staff is an essential condition for citizens to receive better medical services.