“If approved and enacted as they stand, we warn of the practical rejection of the diplomas by nurses and subsequent actions that could paralyze an already unstable and depleted sector as early as November, with the potential for worsening during the Christmas and New Year holiday periods,” stated the union platform in a communiqué.
The union body acknowledges that while consultation with unions is mandatory, these measures from the Ministry of Health “can always proceed without the unions’ agreement or acceptance” of their proposed amendments.
The issue at hand involves the new legal regime creating regional emergencies to address the shortage of health professionals in certain specialties, and the establishment of High-Performance Centers in Obstetrics and Gynecology, two measures approved by the Government this week and announced today to commence in 2026.
The union platform stated it rejects the diplomas “presented orally” by the executive last week unless changes are made to what is planned for regional emergencies and high-performance centers.
The unions demand that the travel-related allowance be the same for all professionals involved in the teams, warning that the proposed amount is, however, “not evidenced in the documentation” they received from the ministry.
Regarding the high-performance centers, the platform further advocates changes in the individual incentives to be granted to nurses compared to what is planned by the Government.
The union platform includes the Nurses’ Union, the Independent Union of Nursing Professionals, the Democratic Union of Nurses of Portugal, the Independent Union of All Nurses United from the Mainland and Islands, and the National Union of Nurses.
