POEDIN

The charges made by POEDIN (Panhellenic Federation of Hospital Workers) President Michalis Giannakos and the president of OENGE (Federation of Greek Hospital Doctors' Associations) Panagiotis Papanikolaou regarding ICU beds allegedly being set aside for VIPS - the wealthy, the powerful, and the well-connected - have stirred a political maelstrom.

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.

Members of the national union of public hospital workers (POEDIN) on Monday staged a protest outside the Finance Ministry over ongoing austerity. 

After being refused a meeting with Finance Minister Euclid Tsakalotos, protesters tried to force their way into the building but were pushed back by police who fired tear gas. 

Employees in the public health sector proceeded to build the main entrances of hospitals in the morning hours of Wednesday in protest against the Greek government’s policies. With chisel and trowel in hand members of the Panhellenic Association of Public Hospital Workers (POEDIN) started building a wall blocking off the main entrance of the building on Aristotelous street.

Patients at Greek public hospitals are twice as likely to contract a life-threatening infection compared to their European counterparts because of understaffing and shortages in basic sanitation methods, the union of state hospital workers (POEDIN) warned on Tuesday.