“day without interns”, this Friday, before a long weekend

2023-04-27 16:44:00

The interns claim in particular 300 euros more per month. Their move comes as the hospital faces a shortage of temp workers.

By NJ with AFP

Friday, April 28, interns are called to strike to highlight their wages and working conditions. (illustrative image)
© ANNA MARGUERITAT / Hans Lucas / Hans Lucas via AFP

Published on 04/27/2023 at 4:44 p.m.

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Already in pain, the hospital could be a little more, this Friday, April 28. Because the interns in medicine, overworked and underpaid, are called upon to strike for their wages and their working conditions. “The young doctors are in psychological distress” and their working time “blithely exceeds the legal maximum” of 48 hours a week, warns the National Intersyndicale des Interns (Isni) in a press release on Thursday.

The date was not chosen at random. Friday will be the last day of internship for interns, who change departments every semester. With the hope of a more followed movement than usual, their strikes often being more symbolic than visible. But this action is also an opportunity to emphasize the role of interns, who “represent up to 40% of the medical staff” in certain establishments, as recalled by Isni.

A call that could be followed

And it could be that this action is followed. Because the call for a “day without interns” from the Insi has spread among the other carabineers’ organisations, from general medicine interns at Isnar-IMG to undergraduate and graduate students from Anemf (National Association medical students from France), to recent graduates of Jeunes Médecins.

READ ALSOHospitals very weakened by the interim crisisTheir elders from the SNMH-FO (National Union of Hospital Doctors), although a minority among hospital practitioners, also joined in by filing “a strike notice in support of interns and their demands”.

Clear demands

Their demands are very concrete: 300 euros more per month (about a 15% increase), a housing allowance indexed to rents, a strict count of working time and, for future general practitioners, the postponement of the 10^e year of studies, in the absence of cancellation of this reform. Will they be heard? The context gives them the opportunity, on the eve of a long weekend from 1^is May at high risk, due to shortage of temporary workers.

Indeed, the turn of the screw on the prices of these substitute doctors (capped at 1,390 euros gross for 24 hours of work) has for almost a month led to closures of services, total or partial, in dozens of public hospitals.