Updated | UHM suspends directives at Mater Dei Hospital

The Union Haddiema Maghqudin has suspended directives issued to its members within the Central Sterilisation Supllies Deparment at Mater Dei Hospital.

Speaking to MaltaToday, UHM president Jesmond Bonello confirmed that the directive has been suspended for the moment, as the union is to meet with Health Minister Joe Cassar and Finance Minister Tonio Fenech.

The meeting is to be held next Monday at 4pm.

UHM had also issued directives to pharmacy technicians and to pharmacists, with the risk that on Monday, not only operations would be halted but as well as the Pharmacy of Your Choice scheme and government's pharmacy.

Both directives have been suspended.

The directives were in relation to ongoing discussions on the new sectoral agreement.

The first one, for the grade of Paramedic Aides (Decontamination) at the CSSD (Central Sterilisation Supplies Department) at Mater Dei Hospital, targeted at the preparation of sterile equipment and instruments for elective (planned) surgical operations.

The Health Ministry said that the impact of these directives would result in the cancellations of most elective operations at Mater Dei Hospital.

"Government has already agreed to the award of an additional allowance to these employees of €1,150 per annum upon signing of the agreement," the health ministry said.

"This allowance is in line with the established parameters and given the particular nature of their work."

But in comments to MaltaToday, Jesmond Bonello also said that he did not agree with government's solution in how it employed new personnel to address staff shortage: "They are going to employ people on self-employed basis, instead of the normal work contract.

"This is unacceptable, most especially since all trade unions are trying to fight precarious works. And despite government's promise to stop making use of such practice, yet again precarious work is found in the public sector," Bonello said.

The health ministry added that a new career structure and further prospects for training for the employees was also agreed to, providing them with new career opportunities. However the main pending issue revolves around the mechanism for promotion, where UHM are insisting upon automatic promotion and assimilation at higher scales.

"However, government requires that all promotions be filled through a competitive call for applications based on meritocracy," the ministry said. 

The directives to pharmacy technicians and pharmacists would have also affected the dispensing and preparation of medicines in Government Pharmacies and at the Pharmacy of Your Choice.