Spanish Doctors Initiate Unprecedented Strike in Demand for Better Working Conditions

This Monday marks the beginning of a crucial strike by doctors across Spain as they protest against the reform of the framework statute that governs the working conditions within the National Health System. This strike will be the first phase of a series of week-long work stoppages scheduled to continue until June, reflecting deep-seated concerns over the treatment and compensation of medical professionals. Last Saturday, over 5,000 doctors rallied in Madrid, demonstrating their unity as they kicked off a new wave of protests. During the demonstration, they voiced a clear message: they will not relent until they secure a statute of their own. Prominent among the calls for action was a demand for the resignation of Health Minister Mónica García. "There is only one option: rectify your course and allow doctors their own negotiating authority or watch as the healthcare system unravels and we are left without doctors,” warned Víctor Pedrero from the Spanish Confederation of Medical Unions (CESM). This organized stoppage comes on the heels of frustrations rising from stalled negotiations between major medical unions and the Ministry of Health. Participants of the strike include the CESM, the Andalusian Medical Union (SMA), the Catalan Doctors (MC), the Association of Doctors and Higher Graduates of Madrid (AMYTS), the Medical Union of Euskadi (SME), and the Independent Medical Faculty Union of Galicia (OMEGA). Together, they are calling for indefinite strikes that stem from dissatisfaction with the proposed reforms agreed upon on January 26 with various unions including SATSEFSES, CCOO, UGT, and CSIF. Central to the doctors' grievances is the insistence on an independent negotiating document for the medical profession. The unions are advocating for unique professional classifications, the establishment of a new A1 category, and a reduction of the standard workweek to 35 hours; with any additional work to be classified as voluntary overtime. They are also pushing for a voluntary early retirement system, whether complete or partial, as well as a ban on forced mobility among medical personnel. In contrast, the Ministry of Health stands by the new statute reform that they claim includes significant labor improvements for healthcare workers at large. Minister Mónica García argues that the draft promotes better work-life balance by limiting work hours to 45 per week and reducing on-call shift requirements from 24 to 17 hours. "As minister, I must oversee the entire National Health System and create a foundational statute for all professionals. Within that, we have a specific chapter dedicated to doctors that addresses years of concerns regarding rest periods and work-life balance," García stated in a recent interview with El País. The strike initiated this week is complemented by gatherings at hospitals and health centers around the country, stretching from Aragón to the Valencian Community, Andalusia, Catalonia, the Basque Country, Extremadura, Galicia, and Madrid. The Strike Committee maintains that these strikes are a last resort after numerous attempts to negotiate and receive attention to their demands have been disregarded. While the unions anticipate inconvenience for patients, they stress that improving the working conditions of medical professionals ultimately ensures higher quality care in the long run. The scheduled strikes will occur during the weeks of February 16-20, March 16-20, April 27-30, May 18-22, and June 15-19. As these final negotiating efforts unfold, all eyes will be on the medical community's resilience and the government's response to their determined calls for a reevaluation of their working conditions. Related Sources: • Source 1 • Source 2