The hospital’s Unified Workers’ Association had publicly denounced the lack of adequate fire protection measures, warning that patients and staff had been placed at risk. The following day, Health Minister Adonis Georgiadis announced disciplinary proceedings against employees, claiming he had been subjected to ‘verbal abuse’ by ‘far-left trade unionists’ during his visit to the hospital while the fire was ongoing.
Union representatives accused the minister of attempting to intimidate workers who had been on the front line of the emergency response.
Speaking to Orange Press Agency during Monday’s demonstration, psychiatrist Efi Tsomaka, one of the seven employees facing the inquiry, condemned the proceedings.
‘I am one of the seven employees undergoing a disciplinary inquiry today. The solidarity shown by colleagues who came to support us in the face of this unacceptable persecution is overwhelming. On the day of the fire, we denounced the severe shortages and understaffing, while returning from our homes, days off and leave to help patients in the event of an evacuation. This is a clear act of intimidation intended to silence anyone who exposes the truth.’
In its statement, the union detailed the conditions faced by staff when the wildfire approached the hospital. Despite having more than 300 patients, the facility had only one ambulance available for a potential evacuation. Some wards operated with just one or two nursing staff for 31 patients, while staff shortages reportedly reached 50% across several specialties and 80% in technical services.
The union also reported the absence of fire hydrants and the presence of overgrown vegetation and trees that had not been pruned for years.
According to the association, employees voluntarily returned to the hospital, abandoning their leave and days off to assist with preparations for a possible evacuation. They also intervened to prevent the hospital from being left with just one psychiatrist on duty after emergency services were transferred to Dromokaiteio Hospital.
The association accused Georgiadis of targeting workers for exposing dangerous conditions rather than addressing the deficiencies themselves. It also criticised the president of the Panhellenic Federation of Public Hospital Employees (POEDIN), Michalis Giannakos, for publicly attacking the workers.
The union argued that the disciplinary proceedings were intended to discourage staff from speaking out about conditions in public hospitals, linking them to the government’s broader policies on public healthcare, mental health services and the disciplinary framework for civil servants.
It called for an end to the proceedings and demanded permanent recruitment across all specialties, adequate funding, effective fire protection and the expansion of public mental health services.
The association organised a four-hour work stoppage on Monday, from 11am to 3pm, alongside the protest outside Metaxa Hospital. A further stoppage was announced for Tuesday 13 October, when the disciplinary inquiry was due to continue.
The union called on healthcare organisations, federations and workers across the public and private sectors to stand in solidarity with those facing disciplinary action, declaring: ‘They will find us all against them!’
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