The Ministry of Health obtained a provisional amparo to prevent the blockages that the health announced for this week; However, the San Juan de Dios National Union remains firm in making mass mobilizations on April 2 and 3.
The main demand is a salary increase stipulated in article 140 of the Law of the General Budget of Income and Expenditures of the State for Fiscal Year 2025, Decree 36-2024. This also contemplates an economic incentive for workers, the reclassification of all personnel and the continuation of the transfer of temporary contractors to permanent lines.
According to Carlos Noé Santos Urías, general secretary of the San Juan de Dios National Union, a dialogue table had been established with representatives of the Private Secretariat of the Presidency to find mechanisms that allowed compliance with the regulations. There were several meetings in which, as he explained, they were increasingly told that a proposal would be presented at the next meeting; However, on March 26, without further explanation, The meetings were suspended and they were informed that the issue would be addressed by the Ministry of Health.
“We regret the attitude of the government, which is causing workers and authorities to face each other. They could have solved this by dialogue, but they did not, and only use dilatory practices,” said Santos Urías.
The Ministry of Health, through a statement published on Saturday, March 29, said that since January they have held meetings with representatives of different unions to comply with the provisions of article 140, and that the corresponding file was referred to the Technical Directorate of the Ministry of Finance to determine the feasibility of the salary increase.
In addition, he indicated that this Monday, March 31, they will meet with the general secretary of the National Union of Health Workers of Guatemala (SNTSG) and on Tuesday with the Nursing and Multidisciplinary Workers Union.
The Ministry of Public Health and Social Assistance informs the population: pic.twitter.com/znmvgqpvdr
– Ministry of Public Health (@minsaludguate) March 30, 2025
Mobilizations
The salary increase and the other points demanded by health workers are contemplated in Decree 36-2024, Law of the General budget of income and expenses of the State for fiscal year 2025, approved in the Congress of the Republic last November.
After three months of the year and in the absence of concrete responses by the Ministry of Health to comply with the regulations, the National Union of Health Workers of Guatemala (SNTSG) announced Mobilizations for Monday, starting at 7:00 a.m. In different parts of the country, with sustained effect if an agreement with the authorities is not achieved.
It should be remembered that on March 19, SNSG affiliates bet in front of the Ministry of Health to dialogue with the authorities, and retired after the offer that they would meet their demands; However, everything remained in promises. Before breach, They decided to take de facto measuresLuis Alpirez, union leader explained on Saturday.
It was tried to know the specific points in which the SNTSG will manifest, but it was not detailed in what places the mobilizations will be. What was indicated is that will happen in each departmentor from the country.
For its part, the San Juan de Dios National Union announced that BThey will be on April 2 and 3 in 13 points in the country:
- Roosevelt Road
- Peripheral ring
- The traps, on the inter -American route
- Four roads, on the inter -American route
- Poptún, Petén
- Ixcán, Quiché
- Zacapa
- San Vicente crossing, Escuintla
- Santa Rosa
- Chiquimula
- The noisy
- Amatitlán
Due to the announcement of these systematic strikes, the third multiparsonal court of the first instance of the civil branch of the department of Guatemala granted a provisional protection to the Ministry of Health, ordering the SNTSG, its subsidiaries and subfilials, refrain from making traffic closuresTomas of facilities or paralysis of operational and administrative activities in the different health services and dependencies of the portfolio. The action, dated March 28, points out that it extends to any other organization that seeks the same purpose.
Despite this legal action, Santos Urías said the mobilizations are still standing. “At the moment, we continue with what is planned, until we see a clear and concrete proposal by the authorities. The workers no longer believe in the minister, and what they ask is to continue with the actions,” he said.
Requests
The demand of the healthy ones is that four points established in article 140 are mainly met:
- Salary increase
- Economic incentive
- Personnel reclassification
- Transfer of temporary contractors to line 011
This regulation also contemplates the increase in the Scholarship of Studies for the Epesists of the Medicine career, but, this process advances, since two weeks ago the signing of contracts began by the students.
To comply with these commitments, article 140 indicates that El Ministry of Health must carry out the necessary budget readcations.
The proposal that the Santos Urías union presented to the Ministry of Health consists of a monthly salary increase of Q2 thousand 500 for 45 thousand 290 budgeted workers, sum that amounts to Q1 thousand 300 million.
In addition, two bonds of Q3 thousand 500 were requested for workers without a dependency relationship, which would require an allocation of Q86 million.
On the other hand, in the Ministry of Health there are 11 thousand 502 people hired in the administrative area under lines 029 and in subgroup 18. Meanwhile, the care personnel is composed of 18 thousand 900 workers in line 182, who must be transferred to permanent places.
During 2024 and what goes from 2025, none of these workers has been transferred to a 011 square, and the calls are stagnant, according to the union leader.