Nurses affiliated to the Dominican Social Security Institute (IDSS) who work in hospitals throughout Puerto Plata province have been on strike for the last two weeks. They say they have not been paid since last year.
The strike is affecting hospitals in Imbert, Guananico, Altamira, Ricardo Limardo in Puerto Plata and Gregorio Luperon hospital in Montellano where the nurses, doctors and other personnel belonging to the IDSS, show up to work but stand with their arms folded and do not actually work.
One of the nurses said that they are striking not only as they have not been paid their salaries but also as they have not been paid a 10% incentive that should have been paid in November.
Humberto Salazar, director of the governmental Health Sector Reform Commission (CERSS) has called for the law that ordered the closing of the Dominican Social Security Institute to be applied. Salazar reminded unions that want the government to keep the entity going that Law 87-01 that created the social security system is clear in that it gave a five-year timeframe for the IDSS to adapt to the new system. That was 13 years ago. He said that the government could not continue backing an institute that is financially and organizationally dysfunctional. Salazar said that the IDSS does not fulfill its role and has not been capable of adapting to the present needs of the health sector.
Enfermeras del IDSS en Puerto Plata están en huelga por salarios atrasados