Once again angry health workers blocked traffic.

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Local health workers staged another demo which brought traffic to a halt at Son Dureta hospital and the CC.OO union announced a 15 minute stoppage every day in all the Balearic hospitals to demand the opening of negotiations. This will be in addition to the sit-ins which are being staged at Ibsalut, the local health authority, and the ministry of public office. The workers are demanding a payment in compensation for loss of spending power which has been paid to other government workers. The ministries excluded all health workers from this pay rise, which was an average of 61'500 pesetas for this year and 82'000 pesetas for next year. They also want the Balearic health ministry to announce its plans for the region. A union spokesman said that the health ministry had announced a meeting to discuss pay and conditions on Friday. But, he said, this does not mean an end to the protests, because the interior ministry must make a similar gesture. The demo which blocked traffic in Calle Andrea Dorea involved about 300 people and was organised by the CC.OO and CSI-CSIF unions. In addition to the extra payment, the unions say that management has failed to fulfil a promise to negotiate about shift work and night duty, particularly on holidays and Sundays, to bring the pay of health workers in the Balearics in line with those of the rest of Spain. Union officials locked themselves into the Ibsalut and Es Pinaret, which belongs to the ministry of the interior, on March 14 and have been there ever since, to back their claims. It is not known what effect the daily 15 minute stoppages will have on the health service.