The Canary Islands Health Service (SCS) offered this Wednesday to improve the remuneration of the lowest-paid on-call shifts and continue hiring physicians, in addition to reducing ratios in Primary Care, in response to the demands of the Canary Islands Medical Union. The head of the SCS, Adasat Goya, accuses the union of "playing into the minister's hands" Mónica García, suggesting a political strategy to harm communities not governed by PSOE or Sumar.
The health administration also proposes improving salary supplements for professional careers and modifying the weekly rest regime to ensure adequate recovery after on-call shifts. Counselor Goya recalled that the strike, initiated in December 2025, has led to the postponement of 1,400 surgical interventions, 57,000 appointments, and 2,900 diagnostic tests until April, resulting in an estimated economic loss of 150 million euros.
Alongside counselor Esther Monzón, Goya defended the SCS's constant dialogue with worker representatives, highlighting over ten meetings in the last three years and the implementation of labor improvements. The Ministry's budget has been increased by 1,040 million euros and the Personnel chapter by 183 million for 2026, with a 1.5% increase in remuneration. Furthermore, 1,142 professionals have been incorporated, 342 organic positions will be created, along with 795 contracts and 332 MIRs, in addition to stabilizing 3,000 positions.
The Ministry believes that "the time has come to modify the 24-hour on-call shifts" and that they should "disappear whenever possible," although he stressed that "we cannot stop healthcare." Goya noted that the Medical Union "has not valued the work carried out by the Canary Islands Government," an effort that places the Canary Islands as the community with the highest increase in doctors (7.4%).
Regarding the improvement of the lowest-paid on-call shifts, Goya quantified a possible 20% increase for those paid at 23.90 euros per hour, potentially reaching 27 or 28 euros. The SCS has "begged" the unions to value these measures and end the strikes, arguing that "there has never been a government that has invested so much" in healthcare and "has received such great mistreatment" affecting patients. The management of health appointments will be addressed after the strike.
