Health and social care unions in the Basque region have been involved in a series of protests and strikes. Mobilisations in public health during December and January will culminate in a day of strike action on 28 January. The unions are angry about the failure of the public health system to honour basic rights to information and collective bargaining. They are concerned about the impact of the pandemic on the system and the way that management have responded by taking unilateral decisions on working conditions, health and safety and precarious employment. Two days earlier, on 26 January unions representing social care staff will be on strike calling for private care provision to be taken over by the public sector in order for there to be an effective response to the widespread problems of low pay and poor working conditions. Again, the COVID-19 virus has had a massive impact on the sector and unions want to see urgent action on staffing levels and health and safety. This broad action follows strike action in December in private care homes in Álava province where unions have been campaigning for two years for a collective agreement and action to tackle low pay, precarious working conditions and excessive workloads.
Series of actions in health and social care
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