Union accuses government of “intransigence and inflexibility”
Adherence to the doctors’ strike that began today and continues until midnight tomorrow (Wednesday) has been logged at around 70%, with surgeries and consultations cancelled in various regions of the country.
“The overall picture is more or less 70% (as of midday). There are places with more adherence and places with less (…) we’re still missing some data (…) It’s quite a strong adherence, which is significant considering the anger that doctors feel,” Joana Bordalo e Sá, president of FNAM, the National Federation of Doctors tells Lusa.
FNAM’s general strike has been accompanied by a refusal to carry out overtime work in primary health care until August 31. The union is accusing the government of “intransigence and inflexibility” – particularly as the health ministry has postponed further negotiations until 2025.
Among FNAM’s demands are the reinstatement of the normal working week of 35 hours and the updating of the salary scale, the integration of internal doctors into the entry level category of the medical career and the reinstatement of 25 working days of vacation per year and five extra days of vacation if taken outside the high season.
Protest actions today include demonstrations in Porto, next to the São João Hospital, Coimbra, at the Covões General Hospital, and Lisbon, in front of the Santa Maria Hospital.
Lusa stresses that it has contacted the Ministry of Health, under the supervision of Ana Paula Martins, for a comment, but ‘neither wished to react for the time being’.
Source: LUSA
