Nearly 300 doctors gather in front of the Government Delegation: "Monica, you're outdated. We're going to France."

PalmNearly 300 doctors gathered in Palma to try to reach an agreement with the Ministry of Health on the draft of the new Framework Statute that will regulate the profession, following an urgent meeting called for Thursday. The protesters met in front of the Government Delegation in the Balearic Islands with banners demanding their own statute and proclaiming that "the dignity of doctors is non-negotiable." This protest is part of the four-day strike called by the State Confederation of Medical Unions (CESM) between December 9 and 12. The Balearic Islands Medical Union (Simebal) reported that the turnout for the third day of the strike was similar to the previous days, with participation rates approaching 85 percent in hospitals and between 65 and 70 percent in primary care.

They also shouted slogans demanding the resignation of the Minister of Health, Mònica García, denouncing that "this statute is slavery," and chanted slogans such as "hour worked, hour paid for." Along the same lines, they warned about the possible departure of professionals with expressions like "You old-fashioned Mònica, we're going to France."

During the rally, the organizers read a manifesto lamenting the absence of the union president, Miguel Lázaro, who was in Madrid attending an urgent meeting convened by the Minister of Health, Mónica García, to try to resolve the conflict. The manifesto, read by Ignacio García, an anesthesiologist at Son Espases Hospital and a member of the Simebal union, reiterated that since the beginning of the protest campaign, now a year old, doctors have demonstrated their willingness to negotiate, and that the strike was the last resort in the face of "institutional mistreatment." They denounced the worsening working conditions of doctors and stressed the need for action to guarantee the quality of care and the sustainability of the healthcare system. The demonstrators criticized the text released by the Ministry on December 4th, arguing that it does not address the group's basic demands and, in some cases, worsens the previous version from September. Among the main complaints in the manifesto are:

• The Ministry's refusal to recognize a separate negotiation framework for doctors, which would allow them to address the special conditions of their profession through direct dialogue with the Administration.
• The equalization of professional categories without taking into account the different training requirements and academic credits, with MECES III graduates (360 credits) included in the same group as MECES II (240 credits), without pay differences or recognition of responsibility.
• The imposition of a discriminatory remuneration system and forced mobility based on the "service needs" formula, which limits the reconciliation of personal and professional life.
• The refusal to classify on-call shifts as extraordinary activity, with higher pay than the ordinary hourly rate and counting towards retirement, as well as the lack of a clear schedule for establishing voluntary on-call shifts.
• The lack of measures on voluntary and partial early retirement without economic loss, pro-rata shifts in situations of Temporary Disability, protection of occupational health, prevention of aggressions and reconciliation of work and family life.

The unions insisted that these demands "are not corporatism, but rather necessary measures to ensure quality care for patients and the sustainability of the healthcare system." They warned that continuing to impose "unfair" working conditions will contribute to the exodus of professionals and hinder the attraction of talent. The manifesto concluded by emphasizing that the entire profession has said "enough" to the ministerial draft, and that doctors will continue fighting until they achieve recognition for their profession. "Doctors deserve it, future professionals deserve it, and patients deserve it too, as they must have access to the highest quality care in a healthcare system that is endangered if it loses its doctors," they added. Protecting the healthcare system

The president of the Medical Association, Carles Recasens, also participated in the event, emphasizing that the demands raised during the strike and demonstrations represent the entire medical community, as well as other healthcare professionals, such as pharmacists and biologists, among others. "The institutions representing deans and healthcare organizations are united," he stressed. According to Recasens, only two situations in the last 25 years have mobilized the medical community: the pandemic, when all doctors poured their resources into hospitals, and now, with the proposed new Framework Statute. "We are not seeking individual benefits, but rather the protection and sustainability of the healthcare system, not only now, but for the future," he added. Recasens underlined that the group's struggle is not only to improve doctors' working conditions, but also to guarantee the quality and sustainability of the public service. "We are fighting for the system and for our benefits, which will then be distributed among other healthcare professionals and patients," he concluded. "The strike is not only for the doctors, it is for the population and to guarantee a health system that needs to be overhauled to make it viable, by seeking an alternative system to 24-hour shifts or waiting lists of 40 patients a day, since it is not the best way to serve the population."