Will Doctors Resume Strikes in March?
Spanish medical unions are expressing strong satisfaction with the level of support shown during the first week of a national strike, launched to demand a dedicated professional statute. The unions are also pleased with the response in Castilla-La Mancha, where they were also advocating for the reinstatement of a career progression system. But whether further strikes will occur in March remains an open question.
The Spanish Confederation of Medical Unions (CESM) reports a high level of participation in the first week of the national strike, which began February 16, as doctors seek a dedicated professional statute. According to the union, hospital care saw participation rates near 90%, even as primary care saw around 80% participation. CESM argues these figures demonstrate significant mobilization despite high minimum service levels imposed by regional administrations. Still, regional authorities, such as Sescam in Castilla-La Mancha, dispute these numbers.
“The percentage of colleagues who have participated in the mobilizations has been extremely high, regardless of the figures published by the administrations, which do not take into account the high minimum services they have imposed, which in some cases exceed 80%,” said Víctor Pedrera, CESM’s Secretary General. He added that 80% of doctors were effectively barred from participating due to those minimum service requirements.
CESM believes the participation rate underscores “the true discontent of the medical community in the face of the ministry’s refusal to negotiate directly with doctors regarding their working conditions.”
Apology to Patients
In light of these figures, CESM reiterated its apology to patients for any inconvenience caused by the strike, emphasizing that “professionals are demanding to be able to practice in the best possible working conditions to offer the quality care that the population requires when they go to the National Health System.”
The past week marked the first of five weeks of indefinite national strike action scheduled through June. Until the next planned period of strikes, from March 16 to 20, the strike committee will continue with previously announced actions in support of a dedicated statute.
As the draft framework statute signed by the ministry with other unions within the scope must now go through the parliamentary process in the Cortes, CESM has requested meetings with spokespersons from all parliamentary groups in the Congress of Deputies.
