A strike and demonstration is scheduled for Wednesday, starting at 11 a.m. in Cagliari, outside the Regional Council of Sardinia, for the island's pharmacists, both men and women , mobilized against Federfarma's unilateral decision to suspend negotiations for the renewal of the collective labor agreement.
The protest, organized at the regional level by the Filcams Cgil, Fisascat Cisl, and Uiltucs Uil unions, represents the first stage of a series of strike days planned for October in all Italian regions, ahead of a united national mobilization.
"The workers who provide an increasingly demanding service cannot be treated with arrogance and irresponsibility," jointly denounced regional secretaries Nella Milazzo (Filcams), Monica Porcedda (Fisascat), and Cristiano Ardau (Uiltucs).
In Sardinia, there are over two thousand collaborating pharmacists awaiting contract renewal, which expired last year .
The suspension of negotiations came precisely at the relaunch stage, following months of protests and after Federfarma had initially expressed its willingness to negotiate. On October 9th, however, the employers' association decided—the unions emphasize—to withdraw from the negotiating table again.
Meanwhile, with the recent healthcare reform and the introduction of new services, the role of pharmacists has expanded significantly: today they administer vaccines and swabs, perform tests, and conduct pharmacovigilance, and offer ongoing support to patients who visit pharmacies every day.
Despite this increased responsibility and the challenges of an inflation-driven economic environment, Federfarma continues to refuse to improve its economic and contractual conditions. "We're not asking for the moon, but a €180 raise would be a minimal reward, certainly not a privilege," the union representatives explain. "To deny this would belittle the professionalism and skills of thousands of workers."
According to union representatives, the employers' association's attitude risks compromising the future of the sector , already in crisis due to the difficulty in finding qualified personnel, also due to the profession's low attractiveness.
"To reverse this trend, it is essential to renew the contract, valorizing professionalism and guaranteeing an adequate salary," conclude the secretaries Milazzo, Porcedda, and Ardau.
(Unioneonline/Fr.Me.)
