The Independent Union of All United Nurses (SITEU) announced this Monday a strike that will last from December 21 to January 2, 2024, demanding equality with senior technical workers in public administration.
In a conversation with the Lusa agency, SITEU President Gorethe Pimentel explained that this is an increase of 52 euros, which corresponds to the 1333.35 euros that senior public administration specialists receive starting from level 16.
“Nurses start at level 15, which is €1,280.72 from the start of their career. (…) The difference is 52 euros. (…) We just want equality, we want parity. That is why the parity strike is because our salaries have always been regulated by the salaries of senior technical specialists in government administration,” he said.
According to Gorete Pimentel, this is “neglect” and nurses feel humiliated.
“We have bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees. We are a level 3 professional career and there is no reason why nurses are being held down in terms of pay compared to other professions. (…) This is a matter of dignity. They don’t need to humiliate us,” he said.
Answering a question about conversations that took place with the Ministry of Health, the trade union leader said that she even sent “e-mails” to the guardianship authorities with “complaints about the parity situation.”
“We were always told that this would be decided by the end of the year, but now they say that with the resignation of the Government they will not do this. But the country will not be left without governance. They will not leave us, God wills it. (…) We do not demand the moon or anything else from another world,” he added.
Last week, the Portuguese Nurses’ Union (SEP) announced that it would send a petition to the prime minister’s official residence.
Union leader Guadalupe Simões told Lusa at the time that the proposal would be made during the protest rally because the AKP believes the government “intends to discriminate” against nurses.
The AKP demands parity from the beginning of 2022 and accuses the Ministry of Health of delaying negotiations.
Author: Lusa
Source: CM Jornal
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