Strikes will take place at the end of April and start of May
Several nurses’ unions in Portugal have called five days of rolling regional strikes for the end of April and the beginning of May, on both the mainland and the islands, to press for better pay and career prospects and the hiring of more professionals.
According to a notice published in the media on Wednesday, the strikes – which have been scheduled for April 26, 29 and 30 and May 2 and 3 (with May 1 being a national holiday) – also aim to demand talks on collective labour agreements in the private and social sectors.
Nurses’ unions are also calling for a “fair, transparent and feasible” evaluation and performance model, measures that recognise and minimise risk, as well as recognise ‘wear and tear’ caused by the profession and the integration of nurses with precarious contracts into the public, private and social services.
The strike covers public sector healthcare units and those in the social and private sectors on the mainland and in the autonomous regions of the Azores and Madeira, on a regional basis depending on the day.
On the first day of the strike, April 26, nurses will walk out in the North of mainland Portugal, on April 29 in the Azores and on April 30 in Madeira.
On May 2, the strike covers professionals working in institutions in the Centre region of the mainland and on May 3 those in the South.
Required minimum services during the strikes include work carried out in emergency situations in permanent care units that operate 24 hours a day, intensive care units, operating theatres, except for scheduled surgeries, and emergency services, as well as haemodialysis and oncological treatments.
In the field of oncology, minimum services cover surgeries or the start of treatment for diseases initially diagnosed and classified as priority 3 and 4, in the latter case “when there is a medical determination” to carry out the surgery and it cannot be scheduled for the following 15 days.
Nursing care will also be provided for the continuity of scheduled cancer treatments that are already underway, as well as for chemotherapy and radiotherapy therapeutic programmes, through planned treatment sessions, as well as daily prescription treatments in outpatient clinics.
Other scheduled surgery situations without priorities 3 or 4 should be considered “in accordance with the institutions’ contingency plan” for situations similar to time off (announced at short notice) and cases of surgery cancellations on the same day due to the impossibility of carrying them out during the normal working hours of the staff or operating theatre.
In the case of day hospitals, nursing services are also guaranteed, according to the notice.
The strike was called by the National Nurses’ Union (SNE), the Nurses’ Union (SE), the Independent Union of Nursing Professionals (SIPENF), the Independent Union of All United Nurses (SITEU) and the Democratic Nurses’ Union of Portugal (SINDEPOR).
The last nurses’ strike took place on March 15, called by the Portuguese Nurses’ Union (SEP).
Source: LUSA
