The Independent Union of Doctors (SIM) will extend the stoppage of additional work until 00:00 on November 24 due to the “incomprehensible and disrespectful proposal” presented by the government, it was announced this Sunday.
In a statement sent to Lusa, SIM explained that the complete cessation of overtime work, which began on July 24, will continue every day of the week, “regardless of the period,” in all primary health care (PHC) services and facilities on the mainland and Azores Islands.
At issue is the government’s “incomprehensible and disrespectful proposal for an average rate increase for all doctors of 3.6% to compensate for the loss of purchasing power of more than 22%.”
SIM also criticized the “unilateral suspension of negotiations and approval of legislative provisions without a union agreement.”
In the strike notice seen by Lusa, SIM said the strike aims to “force the governments of the Republic and the Autonomous Region of the Azores to give an effective response to the list of demands of the union.”
The strike is also planned to be “presented by finance ministers” [Fernando Medina] and health [Manuel Pizarro] a proposal for a salary scale which will replace the career losses accumulated by the inflationary erosion of the last decade, and which will place the entire medical profession, including interns, with honor and fairness in a single pay table in the public service.”
SIM also explained that the minimum services during a national strike are established in the documents governing collective work in force in the National Health Service and the Regional Health Service of the Azores.
The overtime strike initially ended on August 22, but its end was delayed. An extension to the deadline until October 22 was announced in September, which has now been exceeded with this Sunday’s announcement.
Strike-led talks between the government and doctors’ unions began in 2022, but the parties have failed to reach consensus on key issues such as a new pay scale and a new full commitment regime.
Despite the lack of agreement on the salary scale, SIM considers it a positive development that quotas have been removed for the transition from Model A to Model B of family medical institutions and the inclusion of public health doctors in the new regime of full commitment.
The union has recently carried out regional strikes in various forms.
Author: Lusa
Source: CM Jornal
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