Nurse Jessica Swijnenburg is finding it increasingly difficult to pay her monthly bills. And sometimes that just doesn’t work. A problem that also plays a role with her colleagues in the Amphia Hospital in Breda. They will therefore campaign on Thursday for more salary and better travel allowance: “Because it really is no longer possible.”
Jessica Swijnenburg (29) works as a nurse half of her monthly hours on a night shift. The other part mainly consists of late shifts, so that she also receives the irregular hours allowance there. Something that does not benefit her social life, but is desperately needed. “Only with early shifts I can’t do it financially,” says Jessica. “I really need those extra allowances to make ends meet.”
And even then it doesn’t always work out, because Jessica sometimes runs out of money at the end of the month. “It usually works just fine, as long as there are no extra costs,” she says. “But recently I had problems in my house and I can’t solve them because there is no extra money. It’s either have it repaired or don’t pay other bills. But if you don’t pay bills, you get into trouble.”
“Colleagues also say that they can no longer pay their bills.”
“I’m not alone in this,” the nurse continues. “When I tell the hospital in all openness that I don’t know how to do it financially this month, colleagues also talk about their problems. That they also leave bills because there is no money left. It mainly concerns the younger colleagues and that’s appalling.”
In addition to a higher salary, Swijnenburg also wants a better travel allowance. “I drive fifty kilometers to get to work,” she explains. “But the hospital only reimburses thirty kilometers. The kilometer allowance is eight cents per kilometer, so that is 2.70 euros per day. Of course I cannot pay for my petrol from that. It costs me money to go to work.”
“I regularly doubt whether I should continue as a nurse.”
And so there is action. Because the collective labor agreement negotiations stalled, the hospitals will run Sunday shifts on Thursday. This means that only acute care is provided that day and is the heaviest means of action that can be deployed. “We are not heard, but we keep our leg stiff,” says Jessica resolutely. “Of course we are not the only ones in the Netherlands with this problem, but it is absolutely necessary!”
Because otherwise the care may also lose this nurse. “If hospitals want to keep their staff, employers have to step in,” concludes Jessica. “You’re crazy if you have to hand in to get to work! Then it’s better to work in an office. We often talk about it among ourselves and I’m heartbroken if people start doing the same. Nurse is the best job there is, but I also regularly doubt whether I should continue.”
