It is resigned that the 15 midwives have stopped the strike. After five weeks, the movement became untenable. Financially because the midwives were not paid, and of course vis-à-vis the patients they follow. They demanded an alignment of their premium on the average of the other maternities of the Ramsay group: 350 euros per month. They touch 45 euros today and have “got nothing” what’s more.
They returned to work on February 5, after a meeting with the prefect of Ardèche and the Regional Health Agency, but they explain that the functioning of the maternity ward remains chaotic. A midwife has resigned, three others are on sick leave. No replacement, duty rosters not always filled. “The strike is over but some days you still can’t give birth at the Pasteur clinic” assures one of the professionals. And that’s where the whole problem lies. If they ask for a higher bonus, it is to attract colleagues that midwives apply to work at the Pasteur clinic: “For 3 years, we’ve been replacing ourselves and it can’t turn out like that anymore” they say. We tried to reach the director of the Pasteur clinic this Friday afternoon; he hasn’t answered us yet.