The meeting between the Ministry of Health and the medical unions has been suspended after refusing mediation
On 27 March, the Interterritorial Council of the National Health System agreed to propose to the trade unions the mediation of the Platform of Patient Organizations. The unions disagree because the platform "is neither neutral nor expert in labour matters". Both parties have agreed to hold further meetings, but in the meantime the doctors maintain the strike planned for the week of 27 April.
Medical unions have rejected the mediation of the Platform for Patient Organizations (POP) in negotiations to end the strike against the framework statute, which has led to the suspension of the meeting of the Ministry of Health with the strike committee scheduled for this Wednesday.
The Ministry will convene another meeting next Monday, as explained by Health Minister Monica Garcia on the X social network.
In a press release, the unions have announced the commitment of both sides to hold further meetings. The strike committee formed by the Spanish Confederation of Medical Unions (CESM), the Andalusian Medical Union (SMA), Metges de Catalunya (MC), the Madrid Association of Doctors and Senior Graduates (AMYTS), the Basque Medical Union (SME) and the Galicia Independent Medical Union (O'MEGA) has stressed that it is not an expert on issues.
On 27 March, at the Interterritorial Council of the National Health System,the Ministry and the Autonomous Communities agreed to propose to the Trade Unions the mediation of the POP, considering patients to be the main victims of the conflict.
Following the suspension of today's meeting, the POP platform has reproached the strike committee for publicly questioning "the ability, neutrality and legitimacy to be present." It has stressed that "we are patients of the raison d'être of the health system" and that the unions learned of the mediation proposal before Easter.
The Basque Government continues to support mediation
Just after learning of the suspension of the meeting, the Basque Government's Health Adviser, Alberto Martínez (one of those who proposed the participation of the POP platform), has reiterated at an event held in Bilbao his commitment to mediation. "On the one hand, there may be mediation proposed by the Ministry and on the other hand, the one proposed by the strike committee," said Martínez, who has called for "accountability" on both sides to prevent the medical strike from continuing.
the POP platform's mediation proposal was put on the table because the open dialogue with the Medical Profession Forum did not bear fruit. According to the Ministry's sources, "trade unions have never shown a willingness to resolve the conflict. On the contrary, the\ u00A0 strike committee has repeatedly rejected all the channels of dialogue proposed, the trade unions in the field, the Medical Profession Forum and now also patients. "
The trade unions state in their statement that they will maintain the strike schedule,which is scheduled for the next week of 27 April , and maintain their own statutory framework, a table for direct negotiations with doctors, a professional classification reflecting their responsibility in the system, a maximum working day of 35 hours per week, new retirement conditions and conciliation options.
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