Spain doctors' strike postponed after election call

Doctors across Spain are putting indefinite strikes due to start on 28 October on hold: a general election call has changed who can negotiate with them. The doctors’ strike committee announced the decision in Madrid, Spain, on Wednesday, 7 October. It says the dispute over the proposed Estatuto Marco, a framework statute for healthcare staff, is not over.

Why the strike is on hold

The unions say they will have no one able to negotiate their demands until a new government takes office. They argue that asking doctors to walk out indefinitely now would demand too much without a way to reach an agreement.

The committee says the election also halts work on the Health Ministry’s draft statute. A new parliament would have to start the process again if it wanted to revive it. The unions see the loss of the current proposal as a victory for their campaign.

What happens next

The strike notice remains in force. The committee plans to take its demands to the next government and says walkouts could resume if that government does not respond.

The unions want separate rules and a dedicated negotiating forum for doctors and other medical professionals. They also want compulsory on-call duties to end, pensions that reflect their workload, and job classifications that recognise their qualifications and responsibilities. They are asking political parties to set out clear positions on those demands ahead of the election.

Topics: Jobs & labour · Politics

Source: Europa Press / Mallorca.com