Hospital workers sue alternate health minister for calling them ‘trash’

Eighteen members of the national union of hospital workers (POEDIN) have filed a lawsuit demanding 270,000 euros in compensation from Alternate Health Minister Pavlos Polakis for referring to them as "trash" during a chat with journalists.

The union members said in the lawsuit that Polakis had "systematically" insulted them in public.

"A few days ago Polakis, while speaking to journalists, called me and my colleagues trash," said Michalis Yiannakou, the president of POEDIN, which has been at odds with the government over conditions at state hospitals.