This Saturday, the Minister of Health proposed to trade unions to increase doctors’ salaries from 5.5% to 8.5%. It’s a counterproposal that he says is closer to the union’s demands if cutting hours is also considered.
“The government’s proposal for all doctors is that from January the hourly rate will increase by 22.7%, because the reduction in working hours increases the hourly rate and increases because we proposed this Saturday a salary update of 8.5%,” – noted Manuel Pizarro.
The Minister of Health made statements to journalists following a regular negotiation meeting with the Independent Union of Doctors (IMU) and the National Federation of Doctors (FNAM), which ended without reaching an agreement.
Negotiations will resume on Wednesday, when the Ministry of Health will present a new counter-proposal, which will include the size of the salary increase, which until now was 5.5%.
However, the demand of the trade unions representing doctors is a salary increase of about 30%, but according to the minister, the government’s position is no longer that far off, and under the regime of full dedication the increase could even be higher.
“The full-commitment models that all physicians are free to follow are models that will result in an immediate salary increase of approximately 35%, and moving all family practices to Model B will mean that many primary care physicians will be able to see her remuneration increased by about 60%,” he explained, arguing the need to “look at the package of proposals.”
On the other hand, regarding another of the main demands of doctors – a replacement of 35 hours per week – Manuel Pizarro confirmed his readiness to consider this schedule, but emphasized that “there must be 35 hours of effective work.”
“These need to be balanced measures that, on the one hand, value doctors and give them better opportunities to reconcile professional and family life, but ensure that the NHS improves its functioning. This is what we must achieve,” he maintains.
Ahead of the next negotiations meeting scheduled for Wednesday, the minister admitted that the way working hours are calculated under the 35-hour-a-week replacement is the most contentious issue.
Author: Lusa
Source: CM Jornal
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