The General Workers' Union said yesterday that while the time for migration from St Luke's Hospital to Mater Dei Hospital was approaching, there were still several unresolved issues with the Health Division.

Among these were the conditions of work of nursing aides, health assistants and care workers. Among others, the union said, it wanted an immediate solution to the disparity in the salaries of workers in various grades who performed the same work and carried the same responsibilities.

While the health authorities are insisting that this was due to an agreement reached years ago, the GWU is maintaining that the agreement mentioned is no longer valid because of amendments to the Employment and Industrial Relations Act.

The amendments had given the right for equal remuneration for duties carrying the same responsibilities.

The GWU said it can no longer accept that the Health Division drags its feet over these issues.

The union warned it was prepared to resort to industrial action to safeguard the interests of its members if the authorities failed to realise the need to resolve such issues as quickly as possible.