GWU willing to lift directives once date for talks is set

The General Workers' Union yesterday pledged to call off directives to nursing aides, care workers and health assistants once the government set a date for talks on the working conditions of nursing aides to continue.

The decision has already been communicated to the health authorities, the secretary of the union's government and public entities section, Louis Marsh, said yesterday.

He said it was unacceptable that a number of nursing aides who had been following directives had been intimidated by their colleagues.

The GWU issued a number of directives to nursing aides, health assistants and care workers at the beginning of August because of three issues: nursing aides' right for wage scale 13, the roster and a premium allowance for the three categories.

The directives were called off after 12 days, but talks with the authorities were suspended at the beginning of last month after the government reached an agreement with the Union Haddiema Maghqudin. The GWU said the talks would remain suspended until it was given sole recognition for nursing aides, which it had requested just under two months ago. On September 17, the directives were reactivated after the union accused the government of dragging its feet on the issue of sole recognition on the premise that it needed to compile more information.

The directives called on nursing aides, health assistants and care workers at state hospitals and homes for the elderly to do only food-related jobs. Their job usually includes helping nurses wash and clean patients and also help bedridden ones get out of bed.

The union also directed those working at St Luke's Hospital's outpatient department and health centres not to process medical files or X-rays while health centre employees are not taking appointments.

On Tuesday, the union and a group of 447 nursing aides asked the Civil Court not to allow the Prime Minister and the Director General of Health to finalise any agreement governing the conditions of employment of the nursing aides with anyone but the GWU. The court provisionally upheld the request.

Contacted for comments, a Health Division spokesman said the government yesterday filed a reply to the request for the issue of a prohibitory injunction. It said that once the case was in court, it was not prudent to comment at this stage.