Portugal’s nurses union today announced a national strike of its members for the 24th and 25th of September due to their exhaustion and the need to hire more nursing staff.
"Portugal’s nurses are currently faced with numerous problems" such as a "serious shortage of professionals," according to the President of the nursing union SEP, José Carlos Martins.
To highlight the conditions that the union is seeking for its members, including a 35-hour working week for all, career progression and the proper recognition of overtime and night shifts, the union decided to carry the strike on to the 25th so as to hold a rally in front of the Ministry of Health in Lisbon.
However, José Carlos Martins admitted that the strike may be called off as there is a meeting set up for the 17th of September at the Ministry of Health which is to discuss an existing list of demands including salary grade negotiations.
"The marked deterioration of working conditions has caused a shortage of nurses and this now has reached intolerable levels for most professionals," claims the union.
There are nurses working 10-15 hours a day and having many days without rest periods.
The union claims that the country needs an additional 25,000 nurses in the National Health Service, to join the 39,000 already working in the public sector.
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