Algarve Healthcare Workers Strike for Better Conditions: What You Need to Know

Algarve Nurses Strike for Improved Working Conditions

Nurses from the Local Health Unit (ULS) of Algarve are striking today and tomorrow to demand better working conditions, salaries, and hours. This action has been organized by the Portuguese Nurses Union (SEP).

The strike is scheduled for both morning and afternoon shifts today at the hospitals in Faro, Portimão, and Lagos, as well as at the Basic Emergency Services in Albufeira, Loulé, and Vila Real de Santo António. Tomorrow, the strike will extend to primary health care services.

The SEP expressed concerns over the deteriorating work conditions that have led to an increase in resignation requests and absenteeism among nurses. They highlighted that many long-standing issues remain unresolved, with new problems arising without any foreseeable solutions.

Key demands from the SEP include:

• Payment for owed hours: The union is calling for compensation at 200% for overtime based on a 35-hour work week.
• Hiring of specialists: They are pushing for hiring processes for specialist and managerial nurses to address the shortage caused by retirements.
• Regulation of working hours: The union deems the 12-hour shifts as unacceptable, particularly in emergency services, stressing the need for adequate rest periods as the ULS is short of 1,000 nurses.
• Career progression and back pay: The union demands fair progression in nursing careers and compensation for nurses who worked overtime during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Supply issues: There is also a pressing need for materials and medications, including vaccines, in primary health care.

Additionally, the SEP insists on the payment of incentives in family health units and the recruitment of more nurses in these units. The union questions how many nurses must leave before the ULS addresses these urgent financial and operational issues, emphasizing the need for respect and value for nursing professionals.

The ongoing lack of response to these demands, coupled with the worsening working conditions and nurse shortages, is increasingly hindering the ability of nursing professionals to perform their duties effectively in the Algarve.