NHS nurses are striking on both morning and afternoon shifts this Friday to demand a promotion and better working conditions.
The strike was called by the Portuguese Nurses’ Union (SEP) on July 16, claiming that a presentation of a proposal to change the salary scale had remained unfulfilled, leading to the suspension of negotiations at a meeting scheduled for that day.
On Wednesday, the SEP met again with the health minister, and at the end of the meeting, SEP President José Carlos Martins told reporters that the strike was continuing because the proposal presented by the government was still unacceptable and intolerable” and because such nurses had “additional reasons to express their strong indignation.”
According to José Carlos Martins, the Ministry of Health has proposed increasing the salary scale for nurses by 52 euros for all paid positions.
In addition, in the salary scales for specialist nurses and nurse managers, “the government is proposing not to change any scales,” the union leader said, adding, however, that the proposal envisages that nurses in those categories could take a “leap of faith” this Friday.
The proposal means that “whoever comes into the future, the economic value of the work of specialists and senior nurses will remain exactly the same as it is today,” he lamented.
José Carlos Martins also stressed that the Ministry of Health “still has not presented any proposals” to compensate for the risks and difficulties of the profession, including the possibility of early retirement.
According to the SEP, nurses demand “the enjoyment of thousands of hours already worked,” which in most cases are unpaid or paid as regular work.
“It is imperative that they are allowed to enjoy this in a timely manner, that is, with periods of rest,” the AKP said in a statement published on its website.
Nurses are also demanding “affirmation of the 35-hour workweek for nurses,” and ways to compensate for the “systematic use of overtime to make up for nursing shortages,” which exacerbates the risk and hardship of working in the profession.
Author: Lusa
Source: CM Jornal
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