A hunger strike has been announced by five nurses out of the group which for the sixth day has been staging a sit-in protest in the gallery of the main hall of Poland’s Parliament.

The remaining nurses say they will continue their occupation of the gallery.

About a hundred nurses gathered to picket in support of the strike in a demonstration  organized by the Union of Nurses and Midwives in front of the Parliament buildings in Warsaw. 

The nurses are protesting a new draft law on medical services adopted last Friday, which introduces labour contracts for staff instead of permanent forms of employment. 

The Union is objecting to the contracts, which they say lead to exploitation of nurses who have fewer rights, longer working hours and less quality time for patients. (ek)