Chile’s Health Workers Go on Strike To Demand Better Wages

Chile’s National Confederation of Municipal Health Officials (CONFUSAM) on Wednesday began a national strike to demand that President Sebastian Piñera carry out a salary increase that maintains workers' purchasing power.

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"So far, the government has only offered a gradual salary increase, which will leave most of our employees with less purchasing power than before," the CONFUSAM President Gabriela Flores said.

She also denounced that the Chilean government wants to eliminate several bonds that allowed health workers to compensate for the loss of real income caused by inflation.

"They want the crisis to be paid for by those who are risking their lives fighting the pandemic," Flores stressed.

After the failure of the talks between the Piñera administration and public workers, the CONFUSAM decided to take its protests and demands to Congress.

The National Confederation of Public Health Workers (FENATS) also announced its support for the protests that are taking place in different regions of the country.

"We start mobilizations throughout the country, starting in the Fifth Region where we will march to Congress," the FENATS President Patricia Valderas said, adding that "We will not lower our guard until we are heard."