Mozambican doctors strike against wage suspension

The Medical Association of Mozambique (AMM) has decided to maintain the suspension of a class strike that is challenging the application of the new Uniform Pay Table (TSU), an organization spokesman said on Monday.

“It is the decision of the medical association not to continue the strike, at least temporarily,” said Napoléon Viola, general secretary of the AMM, who was quoted by the newspaper O País on Monday.

On December 23, doctors announced they would resume operations for a month after a 19-day holiday strike.

More than 2,000 doctors have joined the shutdown, according to the association.

According to Napoleon Viola, negotiations with the government are ongoing “to find solutions” and, depending on the results, the association may, “if desired, permanently cancel the strike.”

However, the official pointed out that “the medical profession continues to be highly dissatisfied.”

In November, the doctors postponed the lawsuit after meetings with the economy and health ministers to “give the government time” to “implement the agreed principles.”

However, out of 12 disputed points, agreements were reached on eight, but the association says that the government of Mozambique has fulfilled “only three”.

AMM points to “constant government interlocutors” and a lack of transparency about “how doctors’ salaries are handled or not” as some of the things that determined the failure of negotiations with the executive.

The implementation of the TSU, adopted in the last months of last year, was met with strong opposition due to the “inconsistencies” represented by various professional classes in Mozambique, namely judges, teachers and doctors.