Strike covers “issues that syndicates have discussed with successive governments over years”
Once again, in the middle of the high season, when the Algarve is heaving with holidaymakers and visitors, state health service syndicates have decided to go on strike.
This time it is a 24-hour strike, to take place on Thursday August 7 to affect hospitals and health centres.
The three syndicates (taking in doctors, nurses and other health professionals) make no bones about it: this is an action called at a critical juncture, timed to cause the most effect (ergo, upset).
In a press conference given outside Faro Hospital, André Gomes of the southern region’s doctors syndicate, (pictured above) said: “What we demand from the Government is that it take effective measures to retain professionals here. We need more doctors, more nurses, more operational assistants and technicians to be able to respond to this demand, and there is only one way to do this: by valuing careers, salaries and opening up vacant positions.”
These are all ‘demands’ that the syndicates concede have been sticking points for years, with successive governments.
The laments of long working hours have never been far from syndicates’ explanations, and they were there again today, packaged as ‘burnout’ in staff across the board.
Alda Pereira of the Syndicate of Portuguese Nurses said: “When we have around a hundred nurses in this ULS (health unit/ hospital) who have requested leave of absence in recent weeks, they are already saying that the Algarve is completely exhausted, that nurses and all other professionals are completely worn out.”
Added to the trials of the workload, all cite the difficulty in securing a home/ the high prices for rentals charged in the Algarve.
Rosa Franco of the Syndicate of Public Sector workers of the south, also cited the long hours of auxiliaries, who end up “just giving up”.
Thus the ‘age old problems’ are the reason for a strike at a time when even the politicians are on holiday: any negotiations could only begin in September.
For now, it will be a case of another truly chaotic day in the over-loaded state health system. The strike will begin at 00.00 hours on August 7, and run until 00.00 hours on August 8.
Source material: LUSA/ Jornal Barlavento
