Doctors go back on strike
(AIM) – Doctors who are members of the Mozambican Medical MM) resumed their strike, in pursuit of higher pay and better conditions, on Monday, threatening to remain on strike for 21 days.
The AMM is protesting at the way doctors’ pay has been included in the new Unified Wage Table (TSU) for the public administration.
AMM spokesperson Napoleao Viola told reporters on Monday that doctors had not been paid for overtime, and even that they had suffered a general pay cut, so that they were paid less in May than in April.
The Health Ministry urged the AMM to rethink its strike action, claiming that there is still room for dialogue.
The AMM, however, claims that it had proved impossible to reach consensus with the Health Ministry, and that the government had only implemented ten per cent of what had been agreed at the negotiating table.
Viola said that minimum services will be provided in the hospitals by foreign doctors and military doctors (who cannot go on strike for legal reasons), and by any doctors in leadership positions who wished to provide medical services.
A second organization of health workers, the Association of United Health Professionals of Mozambique (APSUSM), declared that it is not joining the AMM strike, and will guarantee all basic services.
The APSUSM claims to represent doctors, nurses and ancillary workers, but the degree of support which it and the AMM enjoy among health workers has not been tested.
The APSUSM has its own grievances and held a brief strike in early June. That strike was due to resume on 19 June, but was suspended to allow continued negotiations with the health authorities.
(AIM)
