Andalusian doctors announce indefinite strike from November 13

Three weeks of round-the-clock stoppages are planned as the medical union accuses the regional government of failing to deliver promised improvements

Doctors and other medical professionals across Andalucía are facing a fresh wave of industrial action, with the Andalusian Medical Union (SMA) announcing plans for an indefinite strike starting Friday November 13.

The union says the initial phase will involve continuous 24-hour strikes for three weeks, running until December 4, with further stoppages to be announced in advance depending on progress in negotiations with the Regional Ministry of Health. O

her protest actions are also planned, although details have yet to be released.
The announcement marks a renewed escalation in a dispute that has been building for months, despite earlier efforts to reach an agreement.

On October 8, the nationwide medical strike was put on hold as Spain headed towards the polls, raising hopes that negotiations could make progress. 

However, the SMA says the pause in national action has not persuaded the Andalusian authorities to move forward with commitments made to doctors in the region.

The union's dispute began in early 2025 over the national Ministry of Health's proposed Framework Statute, but it subsequently widened to include demands for better working conditions and an end to what it describes as the exploitation of medical staff.

In September, Andalusian doctors were already warning that they had not ruled out an indefinite strike in October as tensions over working conditions continued. 

A key sticking point is an agreement signed with the Regional Ministry of Health on July 29. The SMA says the deal was intended to establish a framework for dialogue and secure improvements, even though it did not cover all the union's demands.

However, the union claims the ministry has refused to agree on a timetable for implementing the measures and has yet to commit to including any of the improvements in the 2027 budget.

Among the changes sought are bringing on-call pay into line with ordinary hourly rates, ending compulsory on-call duties and mandatory continuity of care in hospitals, and addressing pay inequalities affecting primary care doctors.

The agreement also covers reducing financial penalties for female doctors during pregnancy, childbirth and breastfeeding, increasing the reduction in working hours available for personal matters to 50%, and making some variable pay permanent. Improvements for medical tutors, resident doctors and occupational health physicians are also included.

The SMA says it has exhausted its attempts to resolve the dispute through dialogue.

"We cannot waste another minute on fruitless attempts at dialogue," the union states, arguing that the promised changes are urgent and that the regional government must now act.

The planned stoppages will begin on November 13, with the length and timing of subsequent action dependent on how negotiations develop.

Image: Sindicato Médico Andaluz