Pharmacists threaten 3-day strike over pay

IF Valencia Regional Government does not pay chemists the €120 million owed to them since December by February 29, they will go on strike March 1 to 3.

Regional Vice President Jose Ciscar contacted the pharmacist’s representatives in the three provinces in the region who were holding simultaneous meetings, to inform them of the government’s intention to pay the money before the end of February.

As a demonstration of confidence, pharmacists decided to hold-off on the strike. Cisco promised that the additional €120 million corresponding to January will be paid by Thursday March 8.

Again, pharmacists will go on strike at a date to be determined, if this payment is not made.

In total, the regional government owes pharmacies €387 million for the last three months’ worth of prescription medicine, plus interest.

A three-day strike in December was planned, but stopped when the €60 million owed was paid at the last minute.

Prescription medicine

The way in which pharmacies work in Spain, is that when a state doctor gives a prescription, residents take them to the pharmacy and in most cases gets the medication free.

Pharmacies keep these prescriptions with the bar code on the medication boxes and at the end of the month the regional government should reimburse them for those medicines, which the pharmacies bought upfront.

Photo credit: Andres Rueda
By Nicole Hallett