Several nurses’ unions have called a five-day strike for the end of April and beginning of May, on the mainland and islands, for wage and career revision and the hiring of more professionals.
According to the notice published in the press today, the strike, which will take place on April 26, 29 and 30 and May 2 and 3, also serves to demand the negotiation of collective bargaining agreements in the private and social sectors, defining pay scales that are never lower than those practiced in the National Health Service.
They also call for a “fair, transparent and feasible” evaluation and performance model, measures that recognize and minimize risk, as well as the wear and tear on the profession and the integration of nurses with precarious contracts into the public, private and social services.
The strike covers public service institutions and those in the social and private sectors on the mainland and in the autonomous regions of the Azores and Madeira, on a regional basis depending on the day.
On the first day (April 26), the strike will take place in the North, on April 29 in the Azores and on April 30 in Madeira.
On May 2, the strike covers professionals working in institutions in the Central region and on May 3 those in the Southern region.
The minimum services include emergency work in 24-hour care units, intensive care units, operating theatres, with the exception of scheduled surgeries, and emergency services, as well as hemodialysis and cancer treatments.
In the oncology area, the minimum services cover surgeries or the start of treatment for diseases initially diagnosed and classified as priority 4 and 3, in the latter case “when there is a medical determination” to carry out the surgery and it cannot be scheduled for the following 15 days.
Nursing care will also be provided in the continuity of scheduled cancer treatments that are already underway, as well as in chemotherapy and radiotherapy therapeutic programs, through planned treatment sessions, as well as daily prescription treatments on an outpatient basis.
Other situations of scheduled surgeries without priorities 3 or 4 should be considered “in accordance with the institution’s contingency plan” for situations similar to time off (announced at short notice) and cases of surgery cancellations on the same day due to the impossibility of carrying them out during the normal working hours of the staff or operating room.
In the case of day hospitals, nursing services are also guaranteed, according to the notice.
The strike has been called by the National Nurses’ Union (SNE), the Nurses’ Union (SE), the Independent Union of Nursing Professionals (SIPENF), the Independent Union of All United Nurses (SITEU) and the Democratic Nurses’ Union of Portugal (SINDEPOR).
The last nurses’ strike took place on March 15, called by the Portuguese Nurses’ Union (SEP).
