MUMN lambasts government over 'illegal' UĦM directives

The Malta Union of Midwives and Nurses has lambasted government for "allowing" UĦM to issue directives disrupting emergency services in Mater Dei Hospital, to the detriment of nurses working at the department.

In an open letter, sent two days ago, MUMN accused the ministry of "double-standards" in their treatment towards unions in the medical sphere. 

"UĦM has issued directives to EARs, costing the tax payer €5,000 a day for more than eight months through the outsourcing of ambulance services, while your office sat pretty and did nothing," the union stated.

"Instead of issuing a court mandate, as you did to MUMN, your office allowed illegal directives to negatively impact the most important emergency service in the country."

In light of this, MUMN requested an urgent meeting with the Health Ministry and Mater Dei Hospital management within the next 48 hours. If no agreement is reached, MUMN will issue directives themselves.

UĦM's industrial action suspended following injunction

Industrial action ordered by the UĦM Voice of the Workers in hospital was temporarily suspended by the courts following an application for an injunction filed by the Health Ministry.

However, hospital appointments cancelled as a result of the industrial action are yet to be rescheduled despite government temporarily obtaining an injunction to suspend the action on Thursday night. 

In a statement, the UĦM said that emergency ambulance responders have also been left idle. “UĦM is informed that for some reason the Government has left the ambulance equipment in the contractor’s vehicles despite having its own fleet and employees at its disposal.”

Earlier in the month, the UHM had directed 1,300 healthcare workers to take industrial action over issues that may disrupt the seniority and wages of hundreds of workers.

The industrial action involves Allied Health professionals, Emergency Ambulance Responders and Steward Health Care employees, concerning.

The union said such conduct raises questions on whether the government has patients and healthcare workers at heart, despite heaping praise to the COVID-19 front liners.

“This industrial action was ordered in the wake of government’s decision to backtrack on pledges made in writing in agreements reached with UHM months ago, and in one case Government’s outright refusal to start negotiations on a new collective agreement,” the union said.

UHM said it has renewed its called for the prime minister to intervene in order for this dispute to be resolved in the interest of all parties involved.

UHM renews its call on the Prime Minister to intervene in order for this dispute to be resolved in the interest of all parties involved.

“Government’s decision to hide behind an injunction instead of holding talks with the union to find solutions in the interest of both patients and workers marks a bad day for social dialogue,” the union said.