PALMA
REGIONAL Health Minister, Vicenç Thomas expressed his regret yesterday over the indefinite strike action called for the end of this month by medical unions in the Islands, and has given his assurances that his department will work intensively to try and stave off industrial action at the last moment.
Although Thomas was critical of the unilateral decision made by the Unions following an open negotiation process between their representatives and the Balearic Health Service - Ib-Salut - and particularly as the ministry had put forward solutions and alternatives, he was still keen for the two sides to sit down again to clarify their positions.
Vicenç said that strike action would not help in any way to finding an answer to the Unions' grievances and that the pay demands they are making, in some instances a 60 percent increase, are pushing the ministry to economic limits. Thomas said it would be irresponsible of him to say that he accepted the Unions conditions knowing full well the department didn't have the funds to comply, and insisted that Ib-Salut had already put a fair offer on the table for medical professionals. As an example, Thomas said that he had offered an hourly rise of 18 up to 22 euros for those on duty on working days and one of 19 up to 24 euros per hour for Sunday and public holdiday working.
The minister said that the health system structure was inherently flawed and needed to be studied in some depth.
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