UGL Salute supports 18 billion euro funding request for Italian healthcare

UGL Salute, a major Italian labor union, has expressed support for regional requests to allocate 18 billion euros over the next three years to secure the National Health Service (SSN) during the upcoming economic budget maneuver.

Gianluca Giuliano, the national secretary of UGL Salute, emphasized that these funds are essential to address critical issues regarding personnel and wages. The union is calling for the definitive removal of spending caps on staff and the allocation of certain resources to adjust the salaries of doctors, nurses, and other healthcare workers to align with European standards.

Giuliano noted that current constraints and heavy workloads have reduced the attractiveness of healthcare professions, contributing to a flight of professionals toward the private sector or abroad. The union argues that protecting public health and ensuring worker dignity must go hand in hand to revitalize the public healthcare system.