The Frustration Boils Over: Care Workers Cry Foul on Rhineland-Palatinate's Care Chamber
Care providers united in protest against the Care Chamber, expressing concerns. - Nurses' Active Participation Urged in Opposition to the Nursing Guild
Care providers in Rhineland-Palatinate are up in arms. They're seething about the state care chamber, which compels them to be members and shell out annual dues. "And for what?" muttered Michael Pauken, head of the senior center in Kell am See (Trier-Saarburg district). "For ten years, we haven't noticed any significant gains from them," he grumbled.
The anger towards the state care chamber isn't new, but it's getting louder. In early March, around 150 to 200 care workers and supporters took to the streets of Mainz to voice their displeasure. Another protest is slated in Trier on May 10 - for care chamber reform and "without compulsory membership." A demonstration in Koblenz will follow on July 5.
Critics are organizing local "care coalitions" in Trier and Koblenz, rallying the troops. "Summer break over, if politics hasn't woken up by then, we'll see protests in Bad Kreuznach and Kaiserslautern," warned Pauken, who's also a nurse.
Critics are demanding a comprehensive survey of all care workers to determine the chamber's fate, along with the abolition of mandatory dues: the state should pick up the tab instead.
The state care chamber was spawned in 2016 as a legal voice for geriatric nurses, health, and nursing professionals in Rhineland-Palatinate. Ostensibly, its aim was to improve working conditions in care. It boasts around 40,000 members. The fees are income-based and typically amount to roughly 140 euros per year.
Chamber President Defends Work
The care chamber's work is indeed beneficial, according to its president Markus Mai, speaking to the German Press Agency. Over the years, it's played a vital role in amplifying the professional group's voice and pushing for increased sensitivity in society and politics towards care providers. Efforts have led to wage increases.
Moreover, the chamber is furthering the profession via a continuing education ordinance for nursing professionals, which comes into effect at the beginning of July. "We've set a minimum level of continuing education for the first time," said Mai. Ongoing education is essential for the quality of care, with providers required to devote about 2.5 days annually to it.
Chamber President: Critics "A Manageable Group"
According to Mai's assessment, the chamber's critics represent a "manageable group." Three factors are driving this campaign: the chamber has recently increased mandatory dues. Since the start of the year, it's been "heavily" pursuing pay and non-registered members. And it's writing to employers.
The affected individuals are now miffed, said Mai. It could involve several hundred euros in back pay. "Nobody enjoys paying dues," said Mai. But there's a legal foundation for this. Compliance is essential not only for those who pay but also for the chamber's legitimacy.
The Rhineland-Palatinate care chamber was the first of its kind, in Germany, with expectations that other federal states would follow suit, said Pauken. Yet, this hasn't occurred. Currently, there's only one care chamber in North Rhine-Westphalia, which doesn't levy mandatory fees. Instead, the state has promised funding until 2027. Chambers in Lower Saxony and Schleswig-Holstein that existed temporarily were abolished following votes from care professionals. The endeavor to establish a chamber in Baden-Württemberg in 2024 also failed.
"Many care providers are now afraid"
Criticism is gaining traction because the Rhineland-Palatinate care chamber has recently called on all employers to report their care providers' names to the chamber. However, not all employers are complying with the request.
The director of a facility in the Birkenfeld district refuses to report her staff. "But I don't know how long I can hold out," she confided. She finds the pressure "unacceptable." Pauken added: "There are many care providers who are now scared."
Chamber as a detriment for Rhineland-Palatinate?
The "compulsory membership" could be a detriment for Rhineland-Palatinate, said the head of a senior center in Baumholder, Alexandra Schug. There are people who would rather drive a few kilometers further and work in Saarland to escape the mandatory membership. This is problematic considering the nationwide care worker shortage. "We need to break free from this mandatory situation," she urged. Voluntary memberships could be a viable alternative.
An anesthesia nurse from Saarburg, who sits on the chamber for the Verdi union, is also unhappy with its performance. "As a care provider on the ground, you only get a glossy annual report, and that's it from the chamber," they complained.
A nurse from a Rhineland-Palatinate branch of the German Red Cross, Jasmin Gollub, says: "When I email the chamber with a question, I don't get a response. Nobody takes responsibility. The chamber does nothing for me. So I'm forking out cash for nothing."
The chamber always asserts that its critics are only a small group, said Pauken. "But we're not a fringe element. We're thousands now."
Chamber President Mai cautions: "Anyone harming the care chamber endangers the profession of care and long-term care for society." If one looks at states without a care chamber, professional care diminishes. "And then care crumbles in that state."
- The careworkers in Rhineland-Palatinate, led by Michael Pauken, are advocating for vocational training programs to be implemented, emphasizing their importance in improving the quality of care.
- The care coalition in Trier and Koblenz, embroiled in the ongoing debate about the state care chamber, are demanding a comprehensive survey of all care workers to gauge the chamber's effectiveness and to assess its continuance.
- In addition to abolishing mandatory dues, the care coalition is also pushing for the state to cover the costs previously paid by care providers to the chamber.
- Critics contend that the increased demands from the care chamber, such as the requirement for mandatory dues and the pursuit of non-registered members, are causing distress among care providers and could potentially lead to a shrinking pool of careworkers in Rhineland-Palatinate, exacerbating the existing care worker shortage.
