Canary Islands Health Officials' Response to Senior Health Technicians' Strike

Background

The Canary Islands' health officials have approved a plan to maintain essential medical services amid a planned two-day strike by senior health technicians on June 16 and 17, 2025. Organized by the Sindicato Estatal de Técnicos Superiores Sanitarios (SIETESS), the strike aims to address unresolved issues with governmental authorities over university qualifications for health professionals.

Government Guarantee of Continued Services

Despite the walkout, the government guarantees vital services will continue, especially:

• Urgent medical care
• Cancer treatments
• Dialysis
• Essential surgeries for critical patients

The plan details specific staffing levels needed to ensure these services run smoothly, including full coverage for:

• Emergency healthcare
• Certain specialized hospital activities

Context and Tensions in Public Health Sector

This strike underscores ongoing tensions in Spain’s public health sector, where workers seek:

• Recognition of their qualifications
• Improvements in working conditions

The government emphasizes that maintaining essential services is a constitutional obligation and aligns with legal obligations to protect public health.

Ensuring Patient Care and Legal Considerations

Healthcare workers, especially those in emergency and specialized care, are assured that critical treatments will not be interrupted, minimizing impact on vulnerable patients.

The legislation also allows for legal challenges to these minimum service arrangements, highlighting:

• The delicate balance between labor rights and public safety during strikes

"Maintaining essential services is a constitutional obligation and aligns with legal obligations to protect public health."