UGT union officials announced that Social Security medical inspectors will go on strike on April 29th to protest against the working conditions and heavy workloads they face. These professionals are in charge of deciding if employees who have been on extended sick leave should continue or return to work. In Madrid, a gathering is being organized at the Ministry of Inclusion, Social Security headquarters on that day between 12:00 and 14:00.
According to the Federation of Public Services of UGT, recent changes in regulations have led to an increase in workload for medical inspectors, particularly due to the removal of the Medical Court in disability proceedings. This has resulted in one medical inspector handling tasks previously addressed by a team of five professionals, creating frustration and vulnerability. As a result, there have been verbal and physical attacks during highly contentious consultations.
In addition to safety concerns and heavy workloads, medical inspectors are also demanding fixed salaries with fewer variable supplements, as well as independence from the body that pays the benefits they adjudicate. Moreover, worker representatives estimate that an increase in staff by almost 30% is necessary for quality service delivery. They emphasize the importance of better personnel planning, equitable distribution of workloads, and task rotations to address ongoing demands.
The disappearance of medical courts a year ago has caused significant delays in resolving long-term temporary disability cases, leading several strikes in various regions over the past year. Medical inspectors are calling out for improvements not only in their working conditions but also in their compensation packages.
