The General Workers' Union has directed nursing aides in state hospitals to take industrial action - which includes not washing patients - because it does not agree with the time recording mechanism in place.

Nursing aides currently punch in for work, but the union wants them to start signing in instead "to be like all the others in their grade".

The nursing aides yesterday protested by not going to work and demanded attendance sheets to sign in.

The "irresponsible and unnecessary action which has a negative impact on patients, especially the elderly", was condemned by the Health Ministry, which said the time recording mechanism was the management's prerogative. "The GWU is acting irresponsibly towards its members by ordering industrial action about something that is the management's responsibility.

"It is also doing a disservice to patients by depriving them of such services," the ministry said.

The union yesterday directed nursing aides to sign on the punch card instead of punching in, not to wash patients and to desist from performing chores outside the ward they are assigned to.

The Health Division is insisting that the nursing aides should continue to punch in.

The Health Division denied claims it had not contacted the GWU, adding that the Director General of Health had met with a union representative, who informed him that directives would be issued unless nurses were allowed to sign in.