Doctors have postponed the indefinite strike on 28 October because of the call for elections

The Strike Committee, composed of the Spanish Confederation of Medical Unions (CESM), the Andalusian Medical Union (SMA) and the Basque Medical Union (SME), has decided to postpone the indefinite stops planned from 28 October, following the call for general elections. However, the unions will maintain thecall for a strike and warn that the mobilizations will be revived if the next Spanish Government does not respond to the demands of the collective.

The decision comes after the dissolution of the Courts and the convening of a general election on 29 November. The parliamentary processing of the draft Framework Statute has been suspended with the end of the legislature, and according to the trade unions, the new scenario leaves no political interlocutor with the capacity to negotiate a new regulatory framework for doctors and practitioners.

The Framework Statute Bill was sent to Congress in September, and until Tuesday, October 6, the deadline for tabling amendments was open.

The Strike Committee believes that maintaining an indefinite strike now would require a great deal of efforton the part of the professionals, without there being an effective political way forward in their claims, and therefore argues that postponement is a strategic decision and not a suspension of the call.

The trade union organizations ensure that they maintain their own regulatory framework for doctors and practitioners, specific negotiating table, recognition and regulation of guards, retirement in accordance with the conditions of the profession and professional classification that takes into account the training and responsibility of the collective.

The indefinite strike was scheduled for 28 October, after months of mobilizations and stoppages against the reform of the Framework Statute.

The Strike Committee, which will forward its demands to the next Spanish Government, has ensured that if it does not get a satisfactoryresponse, it will resume the stoppages  and has urged political parties to include a clear position on medical demands in their electoral programmes.

The trade unions say they will continue to meet and work with political groups to reach concrete commitments during the election period.

The Strike Committee believes that stopping the processing of the Framework Statute is an achievement of the mobilization that has taken place in recent months, but stresses that the conflict is not closed and that the call for a strike remains in place.