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Paraguay nurses 'at war,' threaten strike over stagnant wages
🇵🇾 Paraguay /Culture & Society

Paraguay nurses 'at war,' threaten strike over stagnant wages

From ABC Color · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Ongoing story
  • Over 4,300 contracted nurses at Paraguay's IPS hospital have not received a salary adjustment in up to 15 years, with many earning below the minimum wage.
  • Healthcare workers are protesting, demanding a salary and labor emergency plan, and threatening a general strike if their demands are not met this month.
  • Unions warn of unsustainable working conditions, citing staff shortages, lack of medication, and insufficient supplies, which are causing nurses to resign.

Nurses at Paraguay's Central Hospital of the Social Security Institute (IPS) staged a noisy protest on Friday, banging pots and pans to demand an emergency salary and labor plan. Union leaders declared the nurses are "at war" and prepared to launch a general strike if authorities fail to respond to their grievances this month.

Once more we mobilize here at the Central Hospital, asking the authorities of the Social Security Institute and other responsible authorities for a salary and labor emergency plan, considering that at the Social Security Institute there has been no salary adjustment for more than 15 years and many contracted workers are in a precarious situation.

— Marina AyalaSpeaking during the protest, Ayala described the dire situation faced by contracted nurses.

Marina Ayala, a spokesperson for the Authentic Union for the Defense of IPS (Sinadips), stated that the situation is untenable for thousands of employees. She highlighted that over 4,300 contracted nurses have not seen a salary increase in 15 years, with many earning less than the minimum wage. This precarious situation is forcing nurses to resign, she explained.

The colleague nurses, who number more than 4,300, are not receiving the current minimum wage and are resigning because it is unsustainable.

— Marina AyalaAyala detailed the low wages affecting the nursing staff.

The union also pointed to severe staff shortages, leading to excessive workloads. "There is a lot of overload, a lack of medication, a lack of supplies, and the situation at IPS can no longer be sustained. It is falling apart piece by piece," Ayala said. The union is demanding the hiring of more health professionals and adequate supplies to ensure proper patient care.

There is a lot of overload, a lack of medication, a lack of supplies, and the situation at the Social Security Institute can no longer be sustained. It is falling apart piece by piece.

— Marina AyalaAyala explained the impact of staff shortages and lack of resources on working conditions.

Sinadips has presented an emergency plan to the IPS president but expressed disappointment over the lack of dialogue. The union is coordinating with other sectors within the institution to organize a broader general strike if no satisfactory response is received from the authorities.

We are coordinating with colleagues from various sectors to carry out a general strike, if there is no response from the relevant authorities.

— Marina AyalaAyala confirmed that unions are preparing for a larger-scale action.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by ABC Color in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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