Africa-Press – Cape verde. Health professionals in Cape Verde are expected to go on strike on the 15th, 16th and 17th of November, according to the strike notice from the seven representative unions, with a view to resolving labor disputes with the Ministry of Health.
Crisis in the health sector: Unions announce national strike of health professionals between 15 and 17 November
At a press conference in Mindelo, the permanent secretary of the National Union of Public Administration Workers (Sintap), Luís Fortes, explained that there was a meeting with health workers, which led to the decision for a national strike, which will last 72 hours.
“The workers were angry and dissatisfied, given the delay in labor disputes, for several years and regretted the failure, by the Ministry of Health, to make any commitment with the unions, in order to resolve some of the demands contained in the notebook, at the end of this year and throughout 2024”, declared Luís Fortes.
Professionals demand a review of the base salary of support staff, as well as an increase in overtime pay, the creation of a risk allowance for these professionals, as well as doctors and nurses.
At the same time, the unions ask for the publication of medical career regulations and the implementation of a weekly rest period for shift professionals, as well as the integration of doctors and specialists into the career and the creation of a career for health technicians, management and system.
This fight, as the group’s spokesperson says, has been going on for some time, which is why the seven unions that represent thousands of these national health professionals met with the workers after the meeting with the Minister of Health last Saturday.
“From the meetings we had there was no commitment, we think that with a strike notice the ministry will take this more seriously and will be able to create conditions to meet these demands”, he indicated.
So that the strike does not take place, the representative of the medical profession, Tito Rodrigues, assured that the ministry must “change its attitude towards health professionals and unions”, saying that the meeting with the health minister was requested in January this year, but were only received at the end of October.
“This denotes the consideration he shows for health professionals. His attitude also during the meeting we had seemed to assume and then retreat, it is an aspect that also does not support his initial desire to access claims that are old”, believes doctor Tito Rodrigues, who talks about claims that have lasted since 2018.
In addition to Sintap, the Transport, Communications and Public Administration Union, the Santo Antão Free Workers Union, the Industry, Services, Commerce, Agriculture and Fishing Union, the Commerce, Transport, Telecommunications Union signed this strike notice. and Public Administration, the Cape Verde Doctors Union and the National Democratic Nurses Union.
The strike will begin at 08:00 on the 15th of November and end at the same time on the 18th, and will affect all health departments and services on the islands. The Week with Lusa
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