UHM escalate industrial action for paramedic aides

Industrial action by paramedic aides has escalated after the Union Haddiema Maltin felt that parliamentary health secretary Chris Fearne has not yet responded to proposals that they have sent over a year ago.

“The secretariat promised to meet with us by Wednesday to discuss their counter-proposals,” said Gian Paul Gauci, secretary for the health services section within the UHM. “However, during today’s meeting, the secretariats’ representatives told us that it is still too early to discuss these proposals.

“This is unacceptable because unqualified people are being employed, while our members are being intimidated due the simple fact that they are following directives given to them by their representative union,” Gauci said. “Every worker has the sacred right to follow directives requested by their representative union without intimidation.”

UHM ordered industrial action to all paramedic workers in November after arguing that the government had given them the cold shoulder over an agreement that paramedic aides can carry over their leave to the next year.

The union said that paramedics could not use all of their leave this year because they are understaffed.

The UHM was confirmed as the official representative union for paramedic aides in August this year.