Spanish medical strikes continue amid regional labor agreements

Medical professionals in Spain continue to strike against the Ministry of Health led by Mónica García, even as regional negotiations yield localized agreements. Five autonomous communities—Asturias, Galicia, the Valencian Community, the Basque Country, and Andalusia—have reached pacts with medical unions to end strikes.

These agreements focus on improving working conditions, including a 35-hour standard workday and reorganizing shifts to reduce or eliminate 24-hour on-call duties over the next five years. In Asturias, agreements include economic recoveries for MIR trainees and the equalization of on-call pay with standard hourly rates. Negotiations remain pending in Madrid and Aragon.

In Ceuta, healthcare is managed directly by the National Institute of Health Management (INGESA) under the Ministry of Health. Despite previous claims by INGESA regarding record staffing levels and superior doctor-to-patient ratios, the region has faced significant challenges, including medical strikes and migratory pressures.