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According
to authorities, 5,461
employees did not work to join
the strike. / Undeca courtesy
photo
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Social
Security authorities request to the
Labor Court to declare illegal
union's strike
By the A.M. Costa Rica
staff
On Monday, Román Macaya-Hayes,
president of Social Security,
called on the members of the
employees' union, known as Udeca,
"not to allow internal conflict
issues to affect the patients."
The Social Security authorities
confirmed the "request to the
Labor Court, to declare the strike
illegal."
According to Macaya-Hayes, the
institution will have to make a
great effort to reschedule all
services not available to patients
due to the strike.
According to Social Security
statistics, 28 percent of medical
services were not available
throughout the country.
Also, 70 medical centers
(including hospitals or local
clinics) have reported problems in
attending to patients due to lack
of employees.
The medical services with the most
problems on Monday were:
- Thirty-two percent of medical
appointments were canceled.
- Thirty-two percent of the
patients who had to be
hospitalized were not treated.
- Forty-three percent of scheduled
operations were not performed.
- Thirty percent of the pharmacies
did not deliver medicine to
patients.
- Twenty-nine percent of the
appointments for medical radiology
exams were canceled.
- Thirty-eight percent of
laboratory tests were canceled.
- Twenty-three percent of patients
did not receive medical nutrition
services.
The hospitals most affected by the
strike were the Women's
Hospital* and the National
Psychiatric Hospital*, where
67 percent of the medical services
were canceled, said Social
Security.
The National Geriatrics Hospital,
known as the Elderly's
Hospital*, had "all of the
surgery rooms" closed and only the
emergency room was providing
medical attention.
"The rest of the hospitals
provided 66 percent of the medical
care," said Social Security
authorities in its statement.
According to authorities, 5,461
employees did not work to join the
strike.
According to Macaya-Hayes, one of
the reasons union members went on
strike is the false news that the
institution would be privatized in
the near future. "Nobody is
privatizing Social Security," said
Macaya.
According to Macaya-Hayes, false
information has also been
circulated regarding possible
changes in the form of salary
payment to employees. "The form of
salary payment has not changed
and. We are working on a bill to
keep transferring salary payment
every two weeks because the change
has no impact on the institution
finances."
Due to the strike, only the
Emergency rooms are working with a
normal staff.
According to the Social Security
employees' union, known as Undeca,
they are protesting mainly against
the bill No. 21.097, which seeks
to establish a list of essential
public services, including medical
services, in which employees'
right to strike may be limited or
restricted.
The union is also complaining
about "the government, political
parties, and deputies that have
been promoting the privatization
of the Costa Rican Social
Security, due to business
interests," said union in its
statement.
According to the union statement,
the political parties approved the
Law to Strengthen Public Finances,
which intends to be applied to
Social Security, and left the
decision to the Minister of
Finance to reconcile the budget to
pay for health services,
medicines, construction of new
care centers, among others.
Unions are also complaining about
the General Concessions Law "that
allows privatization in the
administration of health centers,"
they said in its statement.
According to the union, the strike
is for 48 hours, starting Monday
at 6 a.m. and ending tomorrow,
Wednesday at the same time.
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What should the government do to
reconcile with the unions to
prevent them from striking? We would
like to know your thoughts on this
story. Send your comments to news@amcostarica.com
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