Madrid (EFE).- The Madrid Ministry of Health and the strike committee of the Amyts union of Family doctors and Primary Care pediatricians, who have been on indefinite strike since November 21, have ended their last meeting without an agreement, one day after the massive demonstration in defense of public health.
The strike committee of the Amyts union of family doctors and pediatricians of Madrid Primary Care has presented this Monday “a counterproposal” to the Ministry of Health in which it has reduced its claim for a linear salary increase for all professionals from 479.77 to 400 euros and the incentive for the afternoon shift of 10 to 15% of the average gross salary.
At the end of the eleventh meeting between the Ministry of Health and the strike committee, which lasted for an hour and a half, the general secretary of Amyts, Ángela Hernández, explained that the union has made “a very important effort” to reduce “the red lines” that he has maintained for the last two and a half months with the aim of “resolving” a conflict that is “very burdensome” for professionals and patients.
From the union, he has shown his satisfaction with the response of the population to the massive demonstration in defense of public health and against the dismantling of Primary Care, called by residents of the neighborhoods and towns of Madrid, which this Sunday toured the streets of the capital and which had the participation of 250,000 people, according to the Government Delegation, and one million attendees, according to the organizers.
The strike committee has shown its willingness to negotiate to resolve the conflict that has been going on since November 21, without the Minister of Health, Enrique Ruiz Escudero, or the Madrid president, Isabel Díaz Ayuso, having attended any of the meetings.
Díaz Ayuso has said from Jerusalem that the demonstrations against his health policy do not reflect the truth and are solely due to the “frustration of the left” in the face of the May elections.
“The vast majority of Spanish society today rejects the policies of the left, the only thing that was seen yesterday in the demonstration is precisely that frustration,” he stated.
Failing to reach an agreement, the strike to which 4,240 family doctors and 720 paediatricians from the 430 health centers of the Community of Madrid are called continues to demand a minimum of ten minutes per patient, a limitation of agendas and a improvement of the working conditions of professionals to prevent their flight to other regions or countries.
Next Wednesday, February 15, the Amyts union has called a new demonstration from Sagasta street to Puerta del Sol, passing through the headquarters of the Ministry of Health, located on Aduana street.
The indefinite confinement of doctors that began on January 19 at the headquarters of the Manoteras Neighborhood Association, in the Hortaleza district, to support the demands of the strike also continues.
On Sunday, February 19, the union wants to hold a face-to-face meeting with family doctors and pediatricians and is waiting to receive a response from the Board of Directors of the College of Physicians to confirm that it will take place in that space.
