Nurses in talks over premium rise

The nurses' union and the authorities yesterday held a second round of talks in a dispute over an allowance increase, with no agreement reached so far.

The Malta Union of Midwives and Nurses has threatened to call "harsh industrial action" on Monday unless its members receive a promised increase to their allowance with their next paycheque.

The dispute revolves around the €582.34 (Lm250) annual increase in the nursing premium, which the union insists was granted to nurses and midwives in the agreement signed last October.

After receiving two instalments of the premium with the increase included - one in October and another in February - nurses were informed that the premium due this month will not include the increase, something the union has deemed unacceptable.

Union president Paul Pace yesterday told The Times that the MUMN had made a number of proposals on how the agreement could be implemented and was waiting for the health authorities to get back to it.