Dispute over uniforms drags on

The issue over uniforms for nursing aides is still dragging on, the latest move being a letter from the Union Haddiema Maghqudin to the Health Department requesting a meeting about the colour of the aides' trousers.

In its letter, the union reminded the Health Department it had already protested that the colour of the trousers of nursing aides was not the same as had been agreed.

It said a number of nursing aides at St Luke's Hospital were not wearing the trousers due to the colour.

In its letter, the UHM said it had requested an increase in the uniform allowance so that the workers would have an attractive and tidy image.

The uniforms issue has been going on for more than two years.

In July 2001, the General Workers' Union and the UHM had requested an urgent meeting with the health division to resolve "once and for all" the issue of uniforms for nursing aides.

The main issue regarding the colour may have been overcome, but another stumbling block - the width of the mustard piping - had afterwards cropped up.

The issue, this time, revolved around whether the piping should be one centimetre wide, as had been decided with the health division. It had transpired that after a meeting with the Malta Union of Midwives and Nurses - which did not represent nursing aides - it had been decided that the piping should be two centimetres wide.

The GWU and the UHM had said they could not accept what another union was imposing on workers it did not represent.