Nurses' action "unjustified"

The government yesterday insisted it had offered the Malta Union of Midwives and Nurses a "fair deal" and that the union's industrial action directives, which took effect this morning, were not justified.

The union has resorted to industrial action after the government failed to submit counter-proposals on a new collective agreement. The last one expired in June.

The directives affect all hospitals and health centres. Union members have been asked not to use computers or carry out any paperwork or errands outside their ward except those related to their duties. Nurses will not withdraw any blood from patients except at St Luke's Hospital.

In a statement issued by the Department of Information, the government said the collective agreement for public service employees, who include the MUMN's 2,000 members, would only lapse at the end of next year.

That agreement was signed in December 2002. It provided for a revision of salaries which by 2004 would mean an increase in basic pay of Lm384 per annum in the case of employees on salary scales 12 and an increase of Lm476 per annum for those on scale nine, the government said.

The agreement also stipulated that talks would be held with the individual unions to address issues of a sectoral nature that could lead to improved work practices and enhanced opportunities for career progression.

Discussions with the MUMN had been taking place since the beginning of the year and progress had been made, the statement said.

"In fact agreement has been reached with regard to the complement, the entry requirements and perquisites for the director and assistant directors in nursing services."

Additional specialist positions, which essentially would result in additional career openings for officers in the nursing grades, were also being discussed.

The government acknowledged the "sterling service" that nurses and midwives provided and it was for this reason, it said, that within the limits of the government's resources, the compensation package and conditions of service of the MUMN members had been improved.

It said it now intended to enter into negotiations with the unions over how work practices could be further improved at the new hospital, Mater Dei, for the benefit of the public and of the employees.

On the issue of an early retirement scheme, the government said that since this will affect the service in general, it had proposed to discuss the matter with the unions collectively and preparations for these talks were currently underway.

With regard to continuing education, the government said it was in favour of assisting professional staff to keep abreast with developments in their field.

The MUMN is insisting that once other medical professionals were granted an annual allowance for continuing medical education they should similarly be granted a cash allowance.

"No cogent reasons have been brought forward to sustain this claim and on its part the government has offered to mount a programme of meetings, seminars, conferences and other activities to assist officers in the nursing profession to continue to upgrade their knowledge in the field," the statement said.

"This will be in addition to the in-service training courses at present organised by the Nursing Directorate within the Health Division and the Institute of Health Care."

On the revision of salaries, the government said the MUMN was claiming that officers in the grade of Deputy Nursing Officer received the same basic pay as their subordinates at staff nurse level who after a number of years reach the same salary level.

The government did not consider this to be an issue since there were various other supervisory grades in the same position.

"All things considered, there is no justification for the stand taken by the MUMN," it said.