Today, a nationwide doctors’ strike will begin in Spain. Here’s what it means for you.

The first in a series nationwide of five-day strike dates have been announced for June.

The medical unions want a special law that suits their working conditions. This includes regulating 24-hour shifts, and improving wages.

The proposed reforms to the Estatuto Marco, the law governing the health workforce, are not supported by the opposition.

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The plans cover the working conditions in the Spanish public health system. However, unions argue that it does not accurately reflect the demands of their profession.

According to the strike organizers, the current conditions have led to a mass departure of professionals from public service.

While emergency services will be maintained, non-urgent surgery and appointments could be postponed.

It is important that patients confirm their appointment by contacting local hospitals or health centers.

Intermittent five-day strikes are planned for February 16–20, March 16–20, April 27–30, May 18–22, and June 15–19.

According to figures released by Spain’s 17 regional governments, the last strike of January 14 was met with a mixed response.

In the Basque Country, and Galicia, the highest percentage of doctors withdrawing from work was in the north.

The unions say that despite their repeated attempts to engage in a constructive dialog with the Ministry of Health the package proposed falls short of the goals they had set out for themselves. They feel they are being ignored.

Monica Garcia has indicated her willingness for negotiations to continue, but unions are insistent that the situation won’t change unless there’s a real shift.

They stressed that these new strikes were not intended to harm patients but to protect medical quality and the future public healthcare system.

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