Doctors in Barcelona and across Catalonia staged their tenth strike day on Monday, 27 April 2026, to demand improved working conditions and a dedicated agreement for the sector. The protest, organised by the majority union Metges de Catalunya, involved both public and privately contracted healthcare professionals, calling for better terms in primary care centres and hospitals.
The demonstration started at Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, with around 500 people shouting slogans such as “Public and quality healthcare” and “Tired doctor, mistreated patient”. Protesters, many wearing traditional white coats, marched through central Barcelona, passing several healthcare centres before ending at the Sagrada Família basilica.
Union demands negotiations
Metges de Catalunya has consistently stated that many of their demands could be resolved through mediation with the Catalan government and health authorities. However, the union claims that the Minister of Health, Olga Pané, currently on leave, has not met with the strike committee to discuss potential solutions.
Xavier Lleonart, the union's general secretary, criticised the Ministry of Health for being “insensitive and reluctant to negotiate” with the sector's main union. He urged the government to take further steps towards dialogue. Albert Dalmau is currently acting as Minister of Health during Pané's absence. Dalmau previously managed to reach an agreement with education unions while covering for the Minister of Education.
Messages from the streets
During the march, demonstrators passed by facilities such as the Fundació Puigvert, displaying banners with messages like 'Vocation is not exploitation' and 'Fewer ties and more white coats'. Behind a large banner proclaiming 'It affects you too', professionals gathered in front of the Sagrada Família, where they created a mosaic with the message 'Medical agreement now', drawing attention from tourists.
At the end of the route, a statement was read, criticising the administration for its continued refusal to engage. The statement said: “It continues to refuse to negotiate. It remains entrenched in silence, inaction, contempt. It is not a misunderstanding. It is not a lack of information. It is a conscious decision. They do not want to recognise us as subjects for negotiation. They want to dilute us to keep us quiet and obedient.” The union concluded by stating they would “continue to persist” and “if they do not want to negotiate, we must force them to”.
Discrepancy in strike figures
As is common in these strike actions, the participation figures provided by different parties varied significantly. The Ministry of Health reported a 5.2% turnout for the doctors' strike in public healthcare centres (Siscat) on Monday morning, based on provisional data. In contrast, Metges de Catalunya estimated the strike participation at 31%.
Breaking down their figures, the union calculated a 33% turnout in primary care and 25% in hospitals. By province, Metges de Catalunya reported 34% participation in Barcelona, 27% in Girona, 25% in Tarragona, and 16% in Lleida. Regardless of the exact numbers, Monday's strike marked the tenth since Metges de Catalunya began its series of protests on 3 October, and the conflict shows no immediate signs of resolution.
