Resentment among nurses: Demos against compulsory membership in the chamber!

Resentment among nurses: Demos against compulsory membership in the chamber!

resentment among nurses in Rhineland-Palatinate grows, especially with regard to the State Nursing Chamber. This was founded on January 1, 2016 as a public law interest group. It obliges all nurses to membership and pay annual contributions, which amount to just under 140 euros on average, depending on the salary of the members. Critics of the chamber see this as an unreasonable burden and call for the abolition of compulsory contributions and a full survey of all nursing staff to chamber membership.

The protests have manifested themselves recently. The first demonstration against the chamber took place in Mainz at the beginning of March, in which 150 to 200 participants took part. Other demos are planned for May 10th in Trier and on July 5 in Koblenz. Michael Pauken, head of a senior center, expresses significant criticism of the chamber and describes it as ineffective. Chamber President Markus Mai, on the other hand, defends their work and sees them as useful. He emphasizes that the chamber contributed to improving the salaries and working conditions of the nursing staff.

criticism and legal aspects of compulsory membership

Forced membership is regulated by the Salvation Act, which is intended to guarantee a comprehensive advocacy. According to a judgment of the Mainz Administrative Court, which confirmed the legality of the compulsory membership in 2017, it was necessary to strengthen the profession and to secure quality in nursing. The state legislature had regulated the establishment of the chamber without violating fundamental rights. The plaintiff of a pioneering proceedings argued that the provisions of the Healing Care Act would violate the Basic Law. However, the court dismissed the lawsuit and confirmed compulsory membership.

Critics of the chamber is called the "manageable group". Nevertheless, the latest request from the chamber to employers to report their nurses ensures unrest. Some employers refuse to make the message, which continues to drift the displeasure among the nursing staff. There are concerns that compulsory membership is regarded as a location disadvantage for Rhineland-Palatinate, especially in view of the fact that there is only a comparable chamber in North Rhine-Westphalia that does not raise any compulsory contributions.

Rhineland-Palatinate in the context

in Rhineland-Palatinate the situation looks like the membership is mandatory for everyone who has their profession in the federal state. This not only includes nursing staff, but also doctors, dentists and pharmacists, as the Healing Professions Act defines. These regulations lead to a special dynamic in the profession, which partly suffers from double compulsory membership. For example, nurses in North Rhine-Westphalia can be members of NRW and Rhineland-Palatinate if they work and live there.

The nursing chamber itself currently has around 40,000 members. Despite the critical voices in public, there are also positive feedback on the work of the chamber. This polarizes within the industry, and dissatisfaction with communication and support from the chamber remains a central topic. The concerns about possible negative consequences for the profession through the continued criticism are taken seriously by Chamber President Mai.

The persistent discussion about compulsory membership in the nursing chamber illustrates central problems in the industry, which are visible both by legal regulations and through civil society movements. It remains to be seen how the situation will develop and whether the chamber can react promptly to the needs of its members. [borkenerzeitung.de] [ra-siefarth.de]