Nurses' union calls off planned industrial action

The nurses’ union has called off industrial action that was due to come into force tomorrow morning following a dispute with the government on late payment for a nursing allowance.

The two sides have hammered out an agreement, Malta Union of Midwives and Nurses president Paul Pace said – so it will be business as usual at Malta’s hospitals and health centres. The MUMN has been having talks with a government delegation headed by Social Policy Minister John Dalli and Parliamentary Secretary for Health Joseph Cassar.

The dispute revolved around a €582.34 (Lm250) increase in the nursing premium that nurses and midwives had been promised in an agreement signed last October.

It is understood that the authorities had proposed that nurses and midwives receive the rest of the increase due, which amounts to some €436.76 (Lm187.50), in one lump sum in December. The union requested that it be divided into two installments.

An agreement is expected to be signed between the union and the authorities shortly.