Medical staff start three day vigil

Nurses and medical technicians have started a three day vigil in Cathedral Square, Casco Viejo, to protest a breach of a 2012 salary agreement.

Members of the National Association of Practitioners, Nursing Assistants and Technicians (Anpateare protesting the breach of Decree 1316 Executive July 2012, which establishes a new salary scale.

They aim to "seek justice", after an agreement was signed on April 16, 2012 with the directors of the Social Security Fund (CSS) and the Ministry of Health (MoH), said Carlos Peralta, leader of the guild.
"We feel cheated and have received threats of dismissal," said Peralta. However, "we are here for just cause and we will stay to the end," he said.
Technicians require wage improvements of 10%, 12% and 14% as approved for the rest of the health system. Officials also asked fix the problem pf 300 technicians currently with a salary of $405, when it should be at $500.
An executive order states that there is a new pay scale for nursing technicians, which should start at $ 500.
Against this background, the health minister, Javier Diaz, said that this year there is no budget for increases, but on Monday it was announced that 190 members of Anpate will enter the permanent payroll next year.