The doctors strike in Barcelona has escalated this week. More than 1,000 medical professionals marched through the city on Wednesday. Consequently, they are demanding a dedicated negotiation channel to address staff shortages and salaries.
Protesters gathered at Plaça Sant Jaume before marching to the Parliament of Catalonia. Meanwhile, the strike, called by the union Metges de Catalunya (MC) and the State Confederation of Medical Unions (CESM), highlights a growing rift between clinical staff and the Department of Health.
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Home » Doctors Strike in Barcelona: Union Claims 45% Turnout Amid Dispute
Doctors Strike in Barcelona: Dispute Over Turnout Figures
The level of support for the strike remains a point of contention. The Generalitat reports that only 6.5% of staff in public centres stopped work. However, union representatives paint a very different picture.
Metges de Catalunya places the participation rate at 45%. Xavier Lleonart, the union’s general secretary, described the administration’s counting method as “tricky”. He argues that the government calculates percentages based on the total workforce, including those currently on holiday or sick leave. Therefore, this artificially lowers the strike figures.
Lleonart emphasised the cost of this action to the doctors themselves. He noted that striking involves a “salary sacrifice”, particularly for younger staff. “They are absolutely convinced that this situation cannot be tolerated,” he said.
Doctors Strike in Barcelona: Demands for Direct Negotiation
The core demand is administrative rather than purely financial. Doctors want a specific negotiation space where they can agree on working conditions directly with health authorities. They argue this is essential to fix organisational problems in patient care. This dispute comes amid other recent public health measures in Catalonia, such as the reintroduction of masks in medical facilities.
In a statement, the union described this demand as a strategic tool to retain medical talent in the public health system. They warned that without changes, professionals will continue to leave the sector. This warning about staff retention contrasts with the overall growth of Barcelona’s health and life sciences sector, which has recently seen major investment and job creation.
Protesters directed much of their anger at Health Councillor Olga Pané. Chants during the march included “It’s not vocation, it’s exploitation” and calls for her resignation. Banners displayed messages such as “Tired doctor, mistreated patient”.
Doctors Strike in Barcelona: Protests to Continue Indefinitely
Tensions rose after government representatives failed to attend a mediation meeting last Friday. According to the union, health officials claimed the issues fell outside their jurisdiction. Consequently, the platform has announced that protests will continue “indefinitely”.
The union insists it will not stop until it secures a valid dialogue with the Department of Health or the Catalan President, Salvador Illa. Opposition politicians have also weighed in on the dispute. Outside Parliament, representatives from Vox joined union leaders to call for a new “Medical Statute” to legally protect the profession’s specific conditions.
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