Between 31 January and 8 February, the strike, scheduled until the end of the month, caused the postponement of 2,657 operations in the operating theatres in the hospital centres covered.


According to the weekly balance by the ministry, the largest number of postponed operations was registered at the São João Hospital Centre in Porto (823 postponed in 1,226 planned operations – 67 percent).


A cabinet meeting last Thursday declared a civil requisition of the operating theatre nurses, claiming non-compliance with the provision of skeleton service.


The civil requisition was made to nurses at Porto’s São João Hospital, at Porto University Hospital, at the Entre o Douro Hospital Centre e Vouga and at the Tondela-Viseu Hospital Centre.


Portuguese nurses’ trade union Sindepor, handed over to the Supreme Administrative Court a subpoena for the protection of rights, freedoms and guarantees, contesting the civil requisition.


The first “surgical strike” took place in operating theatres at five hospital centres between 22 November and 31 December 2018, postponing more than 7,500 operations.


The two strikes were convened after a movement of nurses launched fundraising on an online platform to finance the strikes, totalling €740,000.


According to the unions, the main points are the unfreezing of career progression and the increase in the basic salary.