After a month of arm wrestling with the government around the Social Security budget for 2023, the unions of biologists are taking a new step and starting, Monday, November 14, a “unlimited strike” medical analysis laboratories.
Since the announcement, at the end of September, of a saving of 250 million euros to be made willingly or by force in the sector, liberal biologists have been alarmed by a “plane stroke” and oppose it by all means. Fearing a lasting drop in prices, they first proposed a “exceptional tax” of the same amount, in respect of the profits made thanks to the Covid tests.
In the absence of an agreement, they then stopped transmitting the results of these screenings to the national SI-DEP file, disrupting the monitoring of the epidemic for a week. A boycott judged “inconsequential” and “inadmissible” by the Minister of Health, François Braun, who even accused them of “taking the whole population hostage”.
Received last week at the headquarters of the Health Insurance, the biologists again denounced a “austerity madness” and called to a “renewable strike” from Monday. The movement, which should last at least three days, is also supported by large groups of private laboratories (Biogroup, Cerba, Eurofins, Inovie, Synlab), as well as by the network of Independent Biologists (LBI).
A “gross surplus of 3 billion” euros
Several unions from other professions have also lent their support to the biologists, including the eleven organizations grouped together within the Health Liberals, as well as the doctors of the UFML. But the executive is sticking to its position: “I maintain the target, it will succeed”said Mr. Braun again on Tuesday, considering that“with a gross surplus of 3 billion, they can make an effort of 250 million”.
Health insurance “continues for its part to favor dialogue” and “deeply regrets the call to strike”judging his proposals “fully sustainable for the biology sector”. The biologists however received this week the reinforcement of the Senate during the examination of the draft budget of the Social Security.
Embracing their claim, the senators voted for an amendment transforming this “permanent decline” as an exceptional contribution of 250 million euros in 2023. An outstretched hand that “opens the way to a negotiated solution”, judge the liberal biologists. To the government and the National Assembly of “seize this opportunity”they argued.