The preliminary agreement between unions and the Health Ministry does not stop the doctors' strike
Negotiations on the framework statute are progressing, although the PP-governed regions are calling for the withdrawal of the proposed legislation.
BarcelonaA breath of fresh air for Health Minister Mónica García, who has reached a preliminary agreement with unions in negotiations over the framework statute, the law that regulates the working conditions of healthcare professionals in Spain and which has not been updated for over 20 years. The preliminary agreement has led to the cancellation of one of the strikes. the two healthcare strikes scheduled for this winterThe strike, which was scheduled for the end of January and called by the unions at the negotiating table for all healthcare workers, has been cancelled, while the doctors' strike remains in place. With this agreement, García is also putting pressure on the autonomous communities governed by the PP (People's Party), which had requested the withdrawal of the framework statute following the controversy the proposal has generated over the past year with the back-and-forth between unions and the administration. The preliminary agreement between the Ministry and the unions SATSE-FSES, CCOO, UGT, CSIF, and CIG-Saúde includes measures such as promoting a standard 35-hour workweek and access to partial retirement, as well as the possibility of early retirement for certain professions. However, it makes no mention of the 24-hour on-call shifts that the Minister has wanted to eliminate since taking office, and one of the most controversial measures of the new framework statute that was ultimately not included in the agreement. The Ministry of Health clarifies that measures not falling under its jurisdiction (as these are regional responsibilities) will be addressed later in a specific agreement.
Shortage of doctors
In this regard, the Minister of Health, Olga Pané, admitted that she cannot reduce 24-hour shifts because there are not "enough doctors." In an interview on TV3, the Minister recalled that the increase in staffing levels resulting from the Covid-19 pandemic has "depleted the stock of doctors" and argued that it is necessary to find ways to end the shortage of professionals. Despite the preliminary agreement, the strikes called by the medical unions will proceed. These include the strikes called by the CESM and SMA organizations, with whom the Health Department will meet next Wednesday, and the work stoppages scheduled for January 15th and 16th by the Professional Group for a Medical and Faculty Statute (Apemyf), which comprises some twenty trade union and non-union organizations in Catalonia.
