Portuguese Nursing Union Joins Public Workers’ Strike

The Portuguese Union of Nurses (SEP) will join the civil servants’ strike scheduled for March 17 in defense of higher wages, better careers and public services.

In a pre-notice issued this Wednesday, the SEP explains that this strike from 00:00 to 24:00 will cover planned work, providing minimum services that guarantee “basic social needs.”

Immediate wage increases of 10%, a minimum of 100 euros, setting maximum prices for essential goods and services, taxing the windfall profits of large companies and changing the civil service assessment system (SIADAP) are among the reasons for the strike, refers to prior notice.

According to prior notice, nursing care should be provided as part of the minimum services in emergencies in hospital care units that are open 24/7, inpatient services that are also open 24/7, and intensive care units.

Nursing care should also be provided in the operating room (with the exception of elective surgeries), the emergency department, hemodialysis, and cancer treatment.

Minimum cancer care services include surgery or initiation of radiation or chemotherapy for new cancers, provided they are in Priority 4, and surgeries for new cancers, Priority 3, when determined by a physician and not possible. reschedule the intervention within 15 days of the announcement of the strike.

Minimum services also cover continuity of nursing care for ongoing cancer care, such as therapeutic chemotherapy and radiotherapy programs, as well as daily outpatient prescription treatment.

With regard to nursing staff for the provision of minimum services, the advance notice clarifies that they will be in the same number as the night shift, to which there will be 3 specialists in the operating rooms for oncological operations and one in the recovery room.

The strike on March 17, organized by the United Front of Public Administration Trade Unions, covers all areas of public administration.