Only emergency, essential care as doctors join Friday’s public sector strike

October 15^th, 2015 (ICR News) If you had an appointment to see a doctor or specialist, have tests performed, or even have surgery on Friday at any of the country’s public health facilities or hospitals, consider your appointment canceled, especially if you live or were to receive care in the San Jose metro area or Central Valley.

That’s the message from the doctors’ union known as the Union of Medical Sciences Professionals, which will join other public sector unions, including unions representing nurses and administrators of the country’s public health and social security system, known as CCSS or “La Caja” in a massive general strike on Friday.

Representatives said that only essential services and emergencies would be tended to.  Even surgeries will need to be rescheduled unless they are emergency in nature.

What public sector union leaders are promising to be the largest series of union strikes in decades begins on Friday as one of the two largest union blocs, known as Bussco and which represents some 60 public sector unions from nearly every government institution, takes to the streets of San Jose in a general strike.

Meanwhile, the union bloc known as Patria Justa confirmed a general strike beginning 10 days later, on October 26^th.  The bloc consists of the unions of dockworkers, the Costa Rican Oil Refinery (RECOPE), the Costa Rican Electricity Institute (ICE), and some 55 municipal workers unions across the country.

Other unions allied with Patria Justa who have confirmed their participation include the National Assocation of Public and Private Employees (ANEP), the National Insurance Institute (INS) workers union (UPINS), the nurses’ union, and several others including unions representing health, education, and immigration workers.

Union leaders are protesting proposed legislation that aims to regulate wages and salaries paid to public sector employees.

The Solis administration has been under pressure this year to rein in excessively high salaries, benefits and pensions paid to public employees as the country’s fiscal deficit soars.

Union leaders also say the strikes will be in protest to the high cost of living and unemployment.

For their part, many lawmakers from across political aisles have described the looming strikes as “senseless” and unnecessary in recent weeks.

Lawmakers last month also condemned a threat made by ICE union boss, Fabio Chaves, that journalists could face violence during the demonstrations.

In announcing the looming strikes last month, Chaves threatened that reporters could face acts of reprisals in the streets if the media doesn’t end what he called a “campaign of demonization against public employees.”

The massive strikes could affect a wide range of public services, from public schools and hospitals to municipal services like garbage collection, amongst many others.