Rhon-Klinikum AG has concluded an agreement with the state government to finance the Giesen-Marburg University Hospital. The country reacted with a lack of understanding, with employee representatives fearing layoffs and calling for a strike.

Rhön-Klinikum AG and the State of Hesse have been negotiating a new agreement for the privatized University Hospital Giesen and Marburg (UKGM) for months. A joint declaration of intent should become a contract by the end of June. Otherwise, an old agreement from 2017 will automatically be extended, the so-called contract for the future. The contract governs, among other things, funding projects worth several million dollars at UKGM.

But Rhon terminated the deal on Friday. The group had threatened this just a few weeks ago., Argument: A renewed extension “would be a significant loss for UKGM.” According to the Rhon Group statement, UKGM will continue to be denied investment funding legally required for university clinics in Germany without a successful final agreement.

Dorne: “A Low Point in the Talk”

Hesse’s situation caused a reaction incomprehensible. RON is dragging talks for a follow-up agreement “at a stage of uncertainty”, said Science Minister Angela Dorn (Greens). That was “a low point in the conversation”. There was no time pressure on Rhon AG to cancel the old paper. Rhon is also questioning the “letter of intent” agreed in January.

Rhön CEO Christian Hoftberger denies this. The termination has no effect on the closure declaration of intent. UKGM has a “letter of intent” for a secure future. Rather, by ending the old agreement, “the way is clear for a new, sustainable and sound solution for UKGM”. All existing obligations for investment and construction projects will be met.

Workers’ representatives called for strike

The Verdi Service Association has called for a full day’s warning strike at the UKGM next Thursday. The reason is Ron Group’s refusal to conclude a collective agreement to secure jobs, Verdi announced Friday.

Until now, job security has been guaranteed by a collective agreement and currently by contracts between the state and the hospital. However, with the expiration of the contract, protections for employees would be lost at the end of the year, a union spokesperson explained.

Negotiations Didn’t Fail – But It Won’t Be Easy

Science Minister Dorn appealed to Rhon AG to “take greater responsibility for its chief among Rhon clinics”. University Medicine spokesman Daniel May (Greens) called the unilateral cancellation of a future paper “irresponsible”. This is an attempt to put pressure on the country on the back of the workers.

Ralph-Norbert Bartelt, health policy spokesman for the CDU parliamentary group, advises discretion and is counting on the continuation and successful conclusion of negotiations, despite the termination of the contract.

500 million euros offered in funding

The state of Hesse announced in January that the privatization Funding university hospitals for ten years with about half a billion euros, In turn, UKGM should, among other things, avoid redundancies and spin-offs for operational reasons.

Rhon had offered an equity investment of at least 22 million euros per year. In addition, the group wishes to undertake that all profits remain in the company, i.e. the proceeds are not distributed to the shareholders.