The decision of the Constitutional Council made last Thursday only reinforced the anger of the unions already hostile to the law on health crisis management.
The CGT maintains its call for a
"national"
and
"unlimited"
strike
of medical and administrative staff in the hospital world as of Monday.
A call that joins that of SUD Santé-Sociales for a strike that began on August 4 for one month and of the Autonomous Federation of Professional Firefighters, the main firefighters union whose movement begins Tuesday August 10 for an indefinite period.
To read also: Skeptics, caregivers, former "yellow vests": how the resistance to the sanitary pass is organized
"We have four clear demands: the withdrawal of the vaccination obligation, the health pass especially at the hospital, sanctions for workers without a pass and the lifting of patents on vaccines,"
explains Denis Betand of the CGT Health.
The spokesperson for the SNPI CFE-CGC nursing union, Thierry Amouroux, considers that it comes to test a little more caregivers already exhausted,
"at the time when the fourth wave is looming in hospitals for mid-August".
If they are mostly vaccinated (between 70 and 91% according to different estimates), some caregivers display their mistrust vis-à-vis the vaccine.
"Dividing subject" among caregivers
Present in a demonstration against the health pass yesterday in Paris, Rachid, nurse in Plaisir (Yvelines) displays his
"doubt"
while the vaccine has not been subjected to the usual tests. "
But when the usual test deadlines have been met, I will stretch out my arm for the vaccine," he
says without specifying whether he will participate in the strike. The secretary general of the health executives section at the CGT, Laurent Laporte is worried about the consequences on the working climate in clinics and hospitals. "
We are talking about a very divisive subject that will divide workers, even if it is not 50% for and 50% against,"
he fears.
Above all, many medical staff are indignant at seeing access to non-emergency care restricted by the health pass.
“We will have to prove that we are in good health to go to the hospital,
deplores Denis Betand, who is worried about seeing the wait times for treatment increase because of the past.
And we are already behind on cancer diagnoses and cardiovascular care ”.
Difficult for the moment to know the extent of their movement, but the union official hopes to be followed by
“5 to 10%”
of caregivers, some of whom are on vacation and others assigned to their work. It will not be the
"total blockage"
demanded this weekend in the demonstrations by opponents of the health pass. But the movement could well seize the functioning of hospitals before a possible fourth wave.
“Care will be provided but this strike can have consequences since we are already
understaffed,
”
said Denis Betand.
The latter also regrets to see resources allocated for an additional cost of 60 million euros per month according to the Hospital Federation of France (FHF), in order to recruit security guards responsible for controlling the passes while the public hospital is sorely lacking in resources. .
The secretary general of the health executives section at the CGT, Laurent Laporte, is worried about the consequences on the working climate in clinics and hospitals.
"
We are talking about a very divisive subject which will divide workers, even if it is not 50% for and 50% against,"
he fears.
Read also: Covid-19: the dilemma of the hospital health pass
In the middle of summer, the mobilization may still be limited, but it could last over time. Denis Betand provides that
"the social return will be agitated"
by the challenge of health measures.
"Never in thirty years have I seen such anger among my colleagues, union members or not."