Salary Dispute

Honduras's Medical College continued nationwide informational assemblies on October 21, marking 45 consecutive days of protest over unpaid wages, salary compliance, pending raises, and reinstatement of fired doctors, with the government and Medical College offering conflicting accounts of resolved cases.

Cardinal Óscar Andrés Rodríguez called on striking physicians to halt over 40 days of work stoppages that have suspended routine medical care, arguing that patient health must take priority over salary disputes and that the action violates Christian ethics.

The Health Ministry urged physicians to return to work immediately, stating that 97% of doctors are current on salary payments amid an ongoing labor dispute.

Honduras's month-long physician labor action, now in its fourth week of assembly-led protests, has left non-emergency patients waiting weeks for rescheduled appointments, while doctors demand salary arrears, contract renewals, wage adjustments tied to inflation, and increased health-sector funding.

The National Association of Auxiliary Nurses and Nurses (ANEEAH) will hold an emergency assembly on Tuesday to decide whether to join medical personnel in a planned strike on Wednesday over unmet government commitments on salaries and contracts.

The IHSS director said the institute has no unpaid salary debts to its physicians and called a doctors' work stoppage unjustified, asserting they are striking in solidarity with health workers at other institutions that do have payment arrears.

Honduras's Medical Association called a nationwide assembly for September 14 to present 16 demands including an immediate end to physician layoffs, salary adjustments tied to inflation, and a commitment that 12% of the national budget go to public health.

The Honduran Medical College warned it will convene nationwide informational assemblies starting Monday if the government fails to pay eight months of back wages owed to health workers and fulfill job-placement commitments under a 2020 decree.

Honduras's government and teachers' unions reached a wage deal after seven hours of talks, ending weeks of strikes and securing a salary increase plus back pay, with both sides committing to ongoing dialogue on structural education reforms.

Teacher leaders met with President Nasry Asfura to press for payment of a pending salary adjustment and other labor agreements, warning that nationwide classroom suspensions will continue if demands are not met.

The government and teachers' union agreed to establish a permanent dialogue table to address salary concerns and called for classes to resume on June 3 after days of strikes.