Law stipulates salary floor for nurses

After many years of struggle by nursing professionals, Law 4 was sanctioned on August 14.434th by the presidency of the Republic, which stipulates the minimum salary for nursing categories in Brazil. According to the new rule, nurses and nurses, specifically, will not be able to receive less than R$ 4.750, regardless of whether they work in the private sector or in the public service. "This is the materialization of a long movement of struggle and resistance of nursing workers, for the strengthening, recognition and appreciation of the profession and nursing professionals, who make up the largest workforce in the health area and in the SUS" , emphasizes the coordinator of the Nursing course at Bahiana, Prof. Dr. Simone Passos.

The teacher also clarifies that the approval of the salary floor is an important starting point for the acquisition of other rights that have been claimed, such as a 30-hour working day and better working conditions. "The approval of the Law took place in one of the most challenging historical moments for health professionals and, above all, nursing professionals: the pandemic caused by the new coronavirus. Countless and tireless nursing workers took care of health services, day and night , of people infected by the virus in different stages of severity", points out Prof.ª Simone.

Since 2007, the Nursing course at Bahiana has trained hundreds of critical professionals, with the ability to practice nursing in an ethical, political and social manner, participating in health promotion, disease prevention, recovery and rehabilitation of people at the individual, family, community and work levels. With the sanction of the new Law, the profession becomes even more recognized, valued and strengthened in the world of work. “These are years of struggle, overcoming, victories, losses and a lot of resistance, which tell a little of the history of our profession. Now we can finally celebrate the achievement of the decent wage floor and affirm that the struggle has not ceased and will not cease. We will advance towards a better and higher quality of life for nursing professionals”, concludes Simone Passos.