Trade unions, including the public service union VPOD, are mobilizing for a referendum on 24 November following a successful signature campaign earlier this year aimed at repealing the EFAS (Einheitliche Finanzierung Ambulanter und Stationärer Leistungen) healthcare reform. Despite being voted in the national assembly, EFAS has faced strong opposition for its potential to increase health insurance contributions and compromise care quality. EFAS introduces a centralized funding system for both inpatient and outpatient care across the country. While the reform is promoted as a way to streamline costs, unions argue that it will ultimately shift more of the financial burden to the public. This raises concerns that private insurers would prioritize profits over public health needs, potentially leading to a decline in care quality for those without expensive supplementary insurance.
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For more information, please contact Paul de Beer or Oana Ciuca, De Burcht (Scientific Bureau for the Dutch Trade Union Movement) p.t.debeer@uva.nl or the Head of communications at the ETUI, Mehmet Koksal mkoksal@etui.org. For previous full issues of the Collective bargaining newsletter please visit https://www.etui.org/Newsletters/Collective-bargaining-newsletter or consult the archive with all articles in our database at www.cbnarchive.eu.
You may find further information on the ETUI at www.etui.org.