Doctors' strike looms as Spain caps shifts at 17 hours

Spain is setting a 17-hour ceiling on health-service shifts as doctors’ unions threaten further walkouts from September. The cabinet approved the new staffing bill on 1 September in Madrid, Spain, and has sent it to the Congress of Deputies despite the dispute.

The proposed Framework Statute, covering staff employed under the public health service’s statutory system, would replace rules in force since 2003. Government spokeswoman Elma Saiz said it would substantially improve basic conditions for all professionals, but MPs must still back it before it can become law.

Doctors’ and specialist unions on the strike committee want a separate law recognising the particular conditions of their professions. They staged one week of strikes each month from February to June and say talks with the Health Ministry brought no progress. They now plan to resume action in September and have raised the prospect of an indefinite strike.

Several autonomous communities have also called for the draft to be withdrawn and rewritten through a state agreement. Health Minister Mónica García has rejected that route, saying the regions are responsible for putting the improvements into practice and, where appropriate, agreeing further ones with unions in their territories.

The bill cuts the maximum working week to 45 hours. It limits on-call shifts to 17 hours, while autonomous communities could reduce them to 12 hours.

Pregnant and breastfeeding staff, people on reduced hours to care for children and those with certain health problems could be exempt from on-call duties. Health services could also grant exemptions to over-55s. The text also sets out a right to balance work and personal life, measures against assaults, rules for hard-to-fill posts and, for the first time, a status for statutory research staff.

The government must now secure enough support in parliament for final approval and publication in the Official State Gazette.

Topics: Strikes · Jobs & labour · Health · Politics

Source: Europa Press / Mallorca.com