Federal Health Network: assembly approves strike for an indefinite period from 5/15

Assembly of employees of the federal health network held this Monday morning (6/5), in the auditorium of Hospital dos Servidores (HFSE), approved an indefinite strike starting on May 15th.

With the participation of employees from all federal health units, the assembly also reaffirmed the general agenda of demands that are still pending and unresolved by the federal government, such as: linear salary adjustment with equality; no to the slicing and privatization of the federal network; holding a public competition for permanent positions by the RJU (Single Legal Regime); renewal of CTUs until a public tender is held; classification of assistants as nursing technicians; payment of food assistance in amounts equivalent to those received in other powers (Legislative and Judiciary); inclusion in the Science and Technology career; and compliance with the 2023 strike agreement (with payment of the nursing minimum in full and unhealthy conditions at a percentage of 20%).

As soon as the strike indication was approved, Sindsprev/RJ leaders opened a debate with employees, so that they could present their doubts about how the strike will be organized. After answering questions from workers in the federal network, the union leaders proposed the formation of strike commands in each federal unit.

Following the assembly, the employees gave a symbolic hug to the HFSE, at the main entrance of the unit (Sacadura Cabral street).

This Tuesday (7/5), starting at 11 am, employees of the federal network perform a unified act in front of the Department of Hospital Management (DGH) building, on Rua México 128.

Government did not respond to any federal health demands

“Now it’s a strike for the base. A health strike that will be unified at the base with the education strike already underway in the country. Since last year, no item of the strike agreement has been fulfilled. In classifying assistants as nursing technicians, the Lula government (PT) could have assumed the Constitutional Amendment Proposal (PEC) as its own, but it did not. And the result is that we have not yet obtained the necessary signatures for the PEC to be processed in Congress. Regarding unhealthy conditions, we are still awaiting payment, even though we work with infectious and contagious diseases. To make matters worse, they placed a person in the DGH who came from municipal health [governo Eduardo Paes]. Therefore, we are already experiencing an extreme situation, and the response has to be a strike”, highlighted Cristiane Gerardo, regional director of Sindsprev/RJ.

“Going on strike is a very necessary thing, but it is not an easy thing, as the strike needs to be built by all of us, in all federal health units. That’s why it’s no use just declaring a strike. We have to organize the strike in the workplace and also talk to the population that uses health services. Our strike has plenty of reasons to happen. Last week we protested at Bonsucesso Hospital against the presence of Grupo Hospitalar Conceição. Let’s fight. The current government disregards our demands and, in the recent term of commitment that readjusted financial aid, excluded retirees. If we build a real strike, we will get what we want”, added Sidney Castro, also a member of the union’s leadership.

“At this moment we cannot back down”, says server

Throughout the assembly, employees reported absolutely chaotic situations in federal units, where there is a shortage of supplies and medicines, insufficient human resources and disorganized logistics in the management of hospitals.

“At this moment we cannot retreat. We have to unite. We don’t know what will happen to the federal health network if it is outsourced or handed over to social organizations. Is this what we want for ourselves and for users? We cannot deliver public services. The federal government was elected with the promise of improving the Unified Health System [SUS]but the opposite is happening”, said Cristina Venetilho, an employee at HFSE.

Also a HSE employee, Maria da Silva Irese reinforced her colleague’s considerations. “We are unable to work. We don’t even have gloves here. The government wants to defeat us through fatigue. That’s why we need unity. There are people who think we are troublemakers and transgressors, but our movement is in defense of health. They want to make us give up our workplace, but we won’t give up,” she said.

Hearing with Nísia Trindade (Health) on Wednesday (8/5)

The Sindsprev/RJ hearing with the Minister of Health, Nísia Trindade, was scheduled for next Wednesday (May 8), starting at 4 pm, at the Ministry of Health, in Brasília. At the meeting, Sindsprev/RJ intends to reaffirm the urgency for the Ministry to resolve the main demands and pending issues of civil servants, such as maintaining the federal network under the Ministry’s management, without slicing or privatization; compliance with last year’s strike agreement; the payment of the minimum salary for nursing in full amounts; the framework in the Science and Technology career and other demands.