MUMN accuses the government of "twisting facts"

The Malta Union of Midwives and Nurses yesterday accused the government of twisting facts and giving the impression that the dispute with the union was on the public service collective agreement signed in December last year.

The union on Tuesday issued directives which affect all hospitals and health centres. They came into force yesterday.

Union members were asked not to use computers or carry out any paperwork or errands outside their ward except those related to their duties. Nurses were told not to extract any blood from patients except at St Luke's Hospital.

The government said on Wednesday that the collective agreement for public service employees, who included the MUMN's 2,000 members, would only lapse at the end of next year.

But the union said yesterday this agreement included two clauses, on early retirement schemes and on sectoral agreements which had to be concluded as stipulated by not later than June 1 this year.

The union said it could not understand how, in its statement, the government was giving the impression that it had been offering a good package when, in reality, all the government ever did was to object to the MUMN's proposals.

The MUMN said it was not willing to allow more time to be lost.

It insisted that its requests were justified, they would not create a precedent and it had considered the country's financial situation.

The union said it enjoyed the support of its members and its directives were being followed by the absolute majority of nurses and midwives.