Laboratories: biologists strike again on December 1 due to lack of coordination with Social Security

A new strike is planned in the laboratories. After two months of arm wrestling over the welfare budget, biologists’ unions called this Thursday for a new “renewable strike” from December 1, given they haven’t received a “concrete response” from health insurance to their latest proposal.

On Monday, after a three-day strike last week, four liberal biologists’ unions presented a “compromise” to their interlocutor, demanding a response no later than Wednesday evening. In contrast to the “sustainable planning” of 250 million euros per year included in the social security budget (PLFSS) for 2023, they agreed to an outflow of the same amount next year, reduced to 145 million between 2024 and 2026.

But at the end of their ultimatum, they regret not getting a “concrete answer” in the letter. However, health insurance director Thomas Fathom welcomed their “firm commitment” and wished that the exchanges could “continue to achieve the goal” set in the PLFSS, according to another letter.

Other medical workers are on strike

Too little for the biologists, who demand “a written and quantitative response to (their) proposal” before resuming discussion and feel they have “no choice” but to “declare a strike extended from December 1st.” The date was chosen to “join a movement spearheaded by other medical professionals”, in particular liberal doctors, whose most unions are calling for practice to close on December 1 and 2.

Contacting the Health Insurance Administration, “deplores this new call for a strike that could only complicate the lives of patients and their access to care” while “biologists’ proposals are going in the right direction” and that it “offered a new meeting in next Tuesday.