Mônica Bergamo: Coren-SP sends letter to Bolsonaro asking for sanction of the nursing floor

Coren-SP (São Paulo Regional Nursing Council) sent this Wednesday (27) a letter to President Jair Bolsonaro (PL) asking him to approve the bill that establishes a national salary floor for workers in the sector.

The project was approved by the Chamber this month and is now awaiting sanction from the Chief Executive. The proposal provides for a minimum floor of R$4,750 for nurses, R$3,325 for nursing technicians and R$2,375 for nursing assistants and midwives.

In the document sent to Bolsonaro, the president of Coren-SP, James Francisco Pedro dos Santos, says that the pandemic “has highlighted a reality that was already obvious: without nursing there is no health”.

“Although the recognition by society has been transmitted through applause and tributes, professionals do not assess that they were valued”, the text continues. The letter also cites a study carried out by the council between April and May 2022 with 13,000 participants.

According to the survey, more than three quarters of professionals (76.2%) do not feel the appreciation of the category, 38.5% of them reported more hours worked and 26.4% reported worsening working conditions in the previous six months.

The document also points out that nursing is a predominantly female profession, with an average age of 40 years, with 70% of them responsible for the main family income – and, for three quarters of this total, the amount received does not reach four monthly minimum wages.

“This reality shows that the necessary changes will be possible through laws and the commitment of the political class”, says the text. The president of Coren-SP still cites an online petition in favor of the bill, which already has more than 240,000 signatures.

^{with BIANKA VIEIRA, KARINA MATIAS and MANOELLA SMITH}