Ministry labels industrial action by nurses as 'irresponsible'

The Malta Union of Midwives and Nurses has ordered nurses to refrain from performing non-nursing duties until a manpower shortage is addressed by the government.

The directive followed an ultimatum which expired today. It also warned of harsher action if no action was taken by the authorities.

The Social Policy Ministry in a reaction accused the union of opting to inconvenience the people for "frivolous and senseless reasons" and insisted it was committed to respecting the collective agreement and the drawing up of a five-year manpower plan, as the union had requested.

The ministry said that while it wanted nurses to work in proper conditions, it also wanted patients to receive the best service possible.

The ministry explained that the drawing up of the manpower plan was not merely an exercise which involved numbers but also work practices. An analysis of such practices was currently under way.

The government, for example, was committed to relieving nurses of work which could be done by others so that they would be able to focus on their primary work.

As for the collective agreement, the ministry said the union knew that the bureaucracy it was referring to was the country's legal framework which regulated all jobs in the civil service.

The ministry said that when faced by such irresponsible industrial action, it also wanted to make it clear that the country could not continue the parody where the unions ordered their members to do half the work but then expected a full pay.