Doctors to Strike Again Against the Framework Statute on October 10

Doctors in Alicante and across the country are gearing up for another strike on October 10. This comes nearly four months after the last one, as the medical community prepares for a national protest against the Framework Statute being drafted by the Ministry of Health. national protest against the Framework Statute being prepared by the Ministry of Health.

Similar to the previous action, this strike is called by the Spanish Confederation of Medical Unions (CESM) and the Andalusian Medical Union (SMA), demanding a Framework Statute exclusive to the medical profession and a dedicated negotiation framework.

The strike on June 13 in Alicante saw high participation rates, reportedly exceeding 80% in some hospitals in the province, according to the organizing unions. This led to the postponement of thousands of medical appointments and non-urgent procedures.

The Secretary General of CESM, Alicante's Víctor Pedrera, stated that a dedicated chapter within the Framework Statute offered by Health is "not enough." "Grouping everything into a dedicated chapter is not sufficient, as the request for a separate Framework Statute is about having the ability to be interlocutors without interference to defend our labor rights," he pointed out.

At this point, Pedrera advocated for changes to achieve a dedicated text: "Any draft law is subject to changes that the Government considers. There are already dedicated statutes like the Ministry of Justice for judges and prosecutors. In the case of healthcare, the work of the medical community differs from the rest," he justified.

Furthermore, Pedrera reported that they will take all articles of the new Framework Statute that they believe violate their rights to European authorities. "There are incompatibilities in this draft concerning mental health, labor, and work-life balance," he indicated.

Following this, he noted that the unions aim to hold an "urgent" new meeting with the Minister of Health, Mónica García, to convey the profession's sentiments and reiterate their proposals.

"The date of the next meeting depends on when the Ministry summons us. They told us they would call us when the draft was complete. We believe what they will include in the text will be insufficient," Pedrera stated.

At this point, the Secretary General of CESM stated that there is no shortage of doctors in Spain. "Spain is the leading country in the world for medical schools, producing the most graduates. It is true that there is a shortage of doctors, but for the public healthcare system," he emphasized, while indicating that this could be resolved with "a dedicated statute and a dignified work framework that equates doctors with other workers."