13/06/2012 00:00
TW
0

Palma.—The Balearic government is threatening to dock doctors' pay to the fury of health unions, a spokesman from medical union “Simebal” said yesterday. The government may also ask the Public Prosecutor to investigate an alleged misappropriation of public funds during the term of office of the previous Socialist coalition government for it having ignored a High Court ruling about stopping extra salary benefits for Balearic doctors. Yesterday, “Simebal” called for indefinite strike action next month which will affect some 4'000 public health sector workers and hit hospitals and medical centres across the Balearics.

Last week, the Balearic government was warned by the PSIB Socialist opposition that, if it touched just one cent of doctors' salaries, the Socialists would take out criminal proceedings against them.

Now the already embattled Balearic government is facing a battle on two fronts over its intentions to dock doctors'' pay.
And, to make matters worse, all of the other unions said that they are considering backing public sector health workers by supporting the industrial action.

But, for the time being, the medical unions have urged their fellow trade unionists to stay away and allow them to “fight their own fight”, Isidrio Torres, President of Simebla said yesterday evening.

Socialist Parliamentarian and member of the Balearic Socialist Party Executive Antoni Diéguez claims this latest move by the Balearic government is politically motivated and even hinted at a possible witch hunt.

Diéguez said that he thought that the PP's intention of having the Socialists investigated on this account was due to a personal vendetta by the current Balearic President, José Ramón Bauzá who reportedly said last Tuesday after a government meeting that he wanted “whatever could be found” to discredit the previous Socialist coalition. With the public health sector already angry over the recent cuts which have increased the pressure and work load on the health service and hospitals, where waiting lists are now longer than six months, Bauza may have picked a fight with the wrong people for the wrong reasons this time.