Pointe-à-Pitre (AFP)
An agreement was found on Tuesday between the inter-union and the management of the University Hospital Center (CHU) of Guadeloupe, paralyzed for two and a half months by a general strike to protest against the working conditions of staff, which have deteriorated since a fire in 2017.
"This is an agreement that we would not have taken if we had not considered it was tenable," told the press the director of the CHU Guadeloupe Gérard Cotellon, judging otherwise "balanced".
For their part, the unions welcomed "a comprehensive inventory" of the situation at the CHU. "This is an important subject that touches on life, it is true that the conflict was long, but we had to understand each other," said Freddy Manioc, secretary of the CGT-G.
The agreement provides for the immediate purchase of equipment to address shortages, new arrangements for human resources such as the organization of competitions to increase the skills of agents, the creation of additional posts as well as feasibility studies to consider the relocation of services, such as the parent-child pole.
Several services had been moved to other health facilities on the island after a major fire on November 28, 2017. Since then, the University Hospital of Guadeloupe has been operating in a disrupted manner, the transitional rooms being considered unsuitable, according to staff.
A general strike, at the call of a dozen Guadeloupean unions, began at Guadeloupe University Hospital on July 23, after a first strike in the emergency room and maternity, to denounce the lack of human and material resources. as well as the dilapidated and cramped premises.
Since then, the majority of services have been operating in minimum service. And the discussions got bogged down in a communication war.
In early August, several thousand people also marched through the streets of Pointe-à-Pitre to support the striking staff. A second, equally well-attended mobilization was supported by many local artists, who called on the population to take to the streets.
The resumption of work is scheduled for this Wednesday.
© 2019 AFP