The unions of the Cruces University Hospital denounce the attitude of the Osakidetza Directorate. Cleaning workers subcontracted by Osakidetza have been on strike since Monday and the first two days have been altered. What they are asking is that the conditions applying to Osakidetza staff should also be applied.

On Monday the Ertzaintza hit the strikers at Cruces Hospital and in addition to hurting several people, arrested two workers and identified four.

On Tuesday, the cleaning staff were mobilized at Donostia Hospital, and there too the Ertzaintza rebelled against the workers. By force an attempt was made to remove a public address to the strikers, using porras. The Ertzaines indicated that the management of Osakidetza ordered them to withdraw their public address.

Single solution, violence

The unions denounce that Osakidetza's leadership is not able to facilitate negotiation and that the only solution it uses is violence: "The Ertzaintza allows workers to repress with disproportionate violence". In addition to the intervention of the Ertzaintza in recent days, issues such as the "imposition of decisions", the "lack of respect for the workforce" and the "obstruction of union work" have been attributed to management.

The unions say that Osakidetza has to make "radical change" and recover "democratic positions". Thus, they ask the management to participate in the resolution of the conflict of cleaning contracts and to "seek solutions to problems affecting the Public Health Service".