Suche
Mein Konto
Protest against the nursing chamber: Thousands of nursing staff demand freedom!
Nursing staff in Rhineland-Palatinate are protesting against compulsory membership in the nursing chamber. Next demo: September 13th in Kaiserslautern.
Protest against the nursing chamber: Thousands of nursing staff demand freedom!
Care in Rhineland-Palatinate is currently the focus of intensive discussions. Nursing staff across the country are protesting against the State Chamber of Nursing, particularly because of compulsory membership and the associated annual contributions, which are considered by many to be inadequate. The next rally, at which around 500 participants are expected, will take place on September 13th in Kaiserslautern.
The criticism of the nursing chamber, which has existed since 2016 and has developed professional and further training regulations, has now also reached the political stage. For example, the CDU state leader is calling for a fundamentally new direction for the chamber and is advocating voluntary membership. Meanwhile, the SPD parliamentary group leader recognizes the concerns expressed and emphasizes the need for greater acceptance of the chamber.
Protests and political resonance
The wave of protests began several months ago and is spreading through various cities such as Mainz, Trier and Koblenz. At previous demonstrations, 200 people took to the streets in Mainz, 300 in Trier and 600 in Koblenz to express their displeasure. This unrest is understandable, because the nursing chamber has so far gained around 40,000 members who pay an average of almost 140 euros annually. Critics such as Michael Pauken, spokesman for the Trier nursing alliance, consider the chamber to be ineffective and ask themselves why contributions have to be paid in Rhineland-Palatinate when this is not the case in other federal states.
How rheinpfalz.de reports, nurses have started a petition to abolish the chamber, which has garnered over 2,800 signatures. Petitioner Alexandra Schug will be heard in the Petitions Committee on September 30th. The nursing guild is also calling for a comprehensive survey on the future of the chamber and an abolition of compulsory contributions.
The role of the nursing chamber
The nursing chamber itself sees itself as having a responsibility to take the criticism seriously and to ensure better working conditions. Chamber President Markus Mai has announced steps to survey members about suggestions for improvement and emphasized that the chamber can increase the social status of care. In a further step, the chamber defended a fee increase that averages less than two euros per month and represents the first adjustment since the chamber was founded.
The challenge for nursing in Germany is great, after all, the population is getting older and older, while skilled nursing staff are rare. aerzteblatt.de emphasizes that there are currently no other nursing chambers in Germany apart from North Rhine-Westphalia and Rhineland-Palatinate. An attempt to found another chamber in Baden-Württemberg failed in 2024.
The coming weeks will be crucial in determining how the situation around the nursing chamber develops. The protests clearly show that there is a strong need for change and more participation among nursing staff.