The National Federation of Nurses (FNE) and the National Nursing Forum call on the category for a national mobilization, next Tuesday (14). In Brasilia, the act will take place in front of the Ministry of Health, starting at 10 am. The objective is to put pressure on government agencies and the private employer sector for the immediate implementation of the nursing salary floor, established by a law of August 2022.
“The movement demonstrates all the dissatisfaction of the category in the face of the impasses, obstacles and slowness of the Federal Government, the Federal Supreme Court and the lucrative private health entities in paying the floor to professionals”, says the FNE.
If the floor is not effective until March 10, the category plans a general strike.
“There are no more reasons to prevent the implementation of the floor. The Ministry of Health has already committed to drafting the provisional measure that will regulate the transfer to federal entities. The draft is already in the Civil House for the government to approve”, explains Jorge Henrique, president of the Union of Nurses of the DF (SindEnfermeiro).
The national nursing floor
According to Law 14,434, approved in August 2022, salary amounts were set at BRL 4,750.00 for nursing, BRL 3,325.00 for nursing technicians and BRL 2,375.00 for nursing assistants and midwives.
The constitutionality of the floor was ensured by constitutional amendment 142 (EC 142), approved in July 2022. However, the following month, the Federal Supreme Court (STF), in a decision by Minister Luiz Roberto Barroso, suspended the law that regulated the amendment , blocking the immediate payment of the floor. The decision was motivated by a request from the National Confederation of Health, Hospitals and Service Establishments claiming that the nursing floor was unconstitutional and “financially unsustainable”.
The Supreme Court established a period of 60 days for public and private health entities to clarify the financial impact of the floor and propose a solution.
After mobilization of the category and of deputies and senators to indicate resources that would enable the payment of professionals, another constitutional amendment was enacted to guarantee the sources of financing for municipalities, states and the Union.
EC 147, enacted in December 2022, established the allocation of resources from the financial surplus of public funds and the Social Fund to financing the floor. The measure applies to workers in the public sector, philanthropic entities and contracted service providers who serve at least 60% of their patients through the Unified Health System (SUS).
On Thursday (3), the text of a provisional measure (MP) was delivered to the Ministry of Health, which will regulate the source of payment for the floor and suspend the decision of the STF. The text is also being evaluated by the Civil House.
“We must remember that Nursing represents the largest number of health professionals, being the support base of the Health System (SUS), without which it is not possible to provide qualified and safe assistance, which needs recognition and appreciation, which only it will be possible with the implementation of the minimum wage in the worker’s paycheck”, emphasizes the FNE.
:: Click here to receive news from Brasil de Fato DF on your Whatsapp ::
Source: BdF Distrito Federal
Editing: Flavia Quirino
