The Union Nurses of Catalonia has accused the Health Department to “look down” the nursing staff for agreeing a salary supplement only for the doctors due to work overload primary health centers. The union – a minority in the nursing sector in Catalonia – charges against the “unfair” agreement that Salut has reached with Metges of Catalonia for primary care doctors to charge a supplement if they agree to see more patients.
After stressing that it is not against salary increases for other professional categories, Infermeres de Catalunya warns that the agreement has put “up in arms” to the collective. In his opinion, he forces nursing to take on tasks that until now were performed by doctors while only these are compensated by the work overload.
“Primary care doctors are already receiving a supplement in relation to the excess quota and now, due to work overload, that supplement is being improved again,” laments the union. The organization summons the ‘conselleria’ to seek “a solution to the serious problem of lack of professionalsboth doctors and nurses.
“Deep Restructuring”
For Infemeres de Catalunya, the solution to this problem “is not paying more to a specific professional group, making it take on more patients, but a profound restructuring of the health system.” The union defends that “it is necessary to rethink jointly with all the professional categories and agents involved and not by checkbook“.
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It also requires “a decent wage” for nursing, in accordance with current competencies and responsibilities. It also calls for “urgent solutions to reduce the overload and the job insecurity“.
The collective warns against “continued contempt” towards the profession. He comments that it is translating into a “deterioration of mental and physical health, work absenteeism and even abandonment of the profession“He points out that, although he still does not have enough representation to do so, he would not hesitate to call an indefinite strike.