“It is important that we go on strike, demonstrate and express what we think: that working 24 hours is an injustice that does not benefit either patients or professionals”. This statement, and others along the same lines, were made by several doctors gathered on Wednesday morning in front of Can Misses Hospital to show their rejection of the Framework Statute presented by the Ministry of Health. Around 11.30 a.m., several doctors left their departments and headed to the main entrance of the public hospital, where the Balearic Medical Union (Simebal) had called them to take part in the demonstration on the second day of the national doctors’ strike.
Some participants also arrived from outside the hospital, without their gowns — doctors who were able to join the work stoppage because they were not affected by the minimum service requirements. Simebal criticises the minimum services set by the Govern and the rest of the autonomous regions, calling them “excessive”. Some of the doctors who came down from the hospital confirmed that, if they could, they would also be on strike. “Our right to strike is being violated”, complained several of those taking part.
“No group works as many mandatory hours as we do. Why do others have the right to work 36 hours a week and we don’t? Moreover, on-call hours, which should be paid as overtime, are paid even less than regular hours, and they do not count towards retirement”, said Romina Carreño. Resident physician Jorge Gracia added: “Twenty-four-hour shifts are outdated and should be voluntary”.
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