Emergency-room workers kick off a week of strikes by healthcare professionals on Monday, to be joined by both general practitioners and specialists later as the government scrambles to defuse the strike action before Christmas!
In an interview published Monday by Le Parisien-Aujourd'hui en France (The Parisian-Today in France), Health Minister Marisol Touraine said she was “confident” that patients would receive necessary care during the strike but urged “vigilence”.
The doctors are calling for a reduction in working hours to 48 hours per week – down from the current 60 – and for overtime to be granted to anyone working more than 39 hours a week.
The strike is supported by 63 percent of the French with 36 percent opposed, according to an OpinionWay survey published in Le Figaro.
Negotiations between the ministry of health and emergency physicians continued throughout the weekend. While doctors praised the “significant” progress made during the talks, it was not enough to prompt them to end their calls for a strike.
The Association of Emergency Physicians of France (AMUF) expects some 80 percent of emergency room workers to take part in the strike.
But the action is not expected to compromise hospital care over the holidays. Strikers will be wearing white badges to show their solidarity with the strike action, but will continue to work.
General practitioners, who will join the strike on Tuesday until December 31, are seeking to raise the average fee for a consultation from €23 to €25.
(FRANCE 24 with AFP)
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