The Trade Union of Doctors and Pharmacists of Serbia and the Trade Union of Health Care and Social Workers "Independence" will continue their strike this week while honoring the legal work minimum, their representatives told Tanjug.

Dragan Cvetic, the leader of the doctors and pharmacists union, said the union had been on strike since April 17 and expected to sit down with representatives of the Ministry of Health as soon as possible.

Their main demand is the abolishment or postponement of the implementation of a regulation on salary coefficients, which would bring down the salaries of all health care workers by 10 percent as of July 1.

Cvetic said the strike had disrupted work at heath care institutions, especially clinics and hospitals ,where only emergency surgeries are being performed.

He said the strike is in effect in 60 facilities in Serbia, including 20 in Belgrade, and will not stop before the Ministry invites unions reps for talks.

"Independence" leader Zoran Ilic told Tanjug that members of this union would also continue their strike, and expect to be joined by colleagues from Vojvodina in a few days.

Right now, union members are on strike in some 80 health care centers in Serbia, but from May 3 the strike is expected to expand to all 125 facilities where the union has members.

Zoran Savic, leader of the Trade Union of Health Care and Social Workers, told Tanjug that the union will not go on strike since the state agency for the peaceful settlement of labor disputes has informed them they have started a peaceful settlement procedure.

Zivorad Mrkic, leader of the New Health Care Union of Serbia, told Tanjug that union members would hold a protest in downtown Belgrade on Tuesday.

They will be joined by the Sloga health care union, the police union, and student and youth organizations, he said.

He said the goal was to stress solidarity among workers and the poor position of employees in Serbia, as well as remember the victims of workers' protest around the world.

Last week three health care trade unions organized a one-hour warning strike in more than 80 health care institutions, due to dissatisfaction with their financial position and the regulation on salary coefficients.