Cynthia Busuttil
Nurses' union honorary president unaware of his fate
"I think they decided to strike while the iron is hot"
The former president of the nurses' union is still in the dark as to whether he will be unseated as honorary president after voicing concern over industrial action he believes could have put patients' lives at risk.
Rudolph Cini, who is contesting next year's MEP elections on the Nationalist Party ticket, said: "I think they decided to strike while the iron is hot because their intention to remove me as honorary president has been clear for some time".
The council of the Malta Union of Midwives and Nurses met on Friday evening but president Paul Pace would not divulge the outcome, saying only that council decisions will not be made public.
"In this case, I think no news is bad news and they are going ahead with their threat to remove me from the post," Mr Cini said. He said that in his last contact with Mr Pace he was told that the council would be meeting to discuss Mr Cini's position as honorary president.
The issue revolves around comments made by Mr Cini on Wednesday after the union announced hard-hitting directives that were meant to kick off today but were suspended to allow talks with the government to be held. Social Policy Minister John Dalli insisted that he would only speak to the union if the strike action was suspended, which the union did. Mr Cini had expressed concern that the directives were issued at a poorly-attended rally and pointed out that whoever issued them was ultimately responsible for any negative repercussions on patients.
One directive in particular, ordering nurses working at the Renal Unit to stop being on call, could have had serious repercussions on patients needing urgent dialysis, with hospital superintendent Frank Bartolo saying that patients' lives being at risk were that to happen.
A day after he announced his candidature, the MUMN had dissociated itself from Mr Cini's interest in contesting the elections, saying that the union's council did not allow council members to be involved in partisan politics.
Correspondence between Mr Cini and union general secretary Colin Galea, seen by The Times, shows that the former president already felt he was being given the cold shoulder by the MUMN back in March.
"The cold war has been there for a while and now it looks like it's coming out in the open." Mr Cini insisted that he does not regret his comments, saying that he merely intended to caution the union.
When contacted, Parliamentary Secretary Mario Galea, who is also a nurse, admitted he would be concerned should the union take action against Mr Cini, adding that this would be a step against democracy. "He has every right to voice his opinion," he said.
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Cutajar A
Nov 25th 2008, 17:30
@ J Farrugia
MDH is functioning.... but this does not mean that it's functioning well. it's functioning thanks to the excellent work most personnel do. However having said this there is still alot to be disired ..... I can mention the obstetric wards for example.... staff there do their utmost to give a sterling care however ... mothers are still being awakened during the night to be transfered from one ward to another due to lack of beds... mothers still wait outside in the foyer to be given a bed.... these are only a few...
lgalea
Nov 24th 2008, 21:25
J Farrugia
Are you suggesting that the Union and the nurses take whatever the Gonzipn throws at them lying down?
J Farrugia
Nov 24th 2008, 14:17
For example: what is not working well at Mater Dei? Can you quote and give some examples. We are in earnest waiting to hear from you so that we can see if what you are saying is true. I myself have used MD many times now and the service is good. The nurses as usual, always lamenting. Mind you NOT ALL THE NURSES because there are so many uniforms that one doubts whether you really are a nurse or not. So we have to be careful. The floor cleaner is not a nurse, while the midwife is not a nurse. But the biggest one is this: the MUMN and the GWU and the UHM were up in arms a few years ago because the uniform was 1 inch long or one inch short. Do you believe these unions?
R.Bezzina
Nov 24th 2008, 14:11
Regarding your perspective on the strike you should have been constructive and act to solve the problems, rather than passing time writing on the newspaper for popularity, that what makes a good MEP. It seems that you are not really worried about the patient`s safety and this is the major problem, please change so Maltese citizens will benefit something from you. Last thing, if you agree with any unqualified technicians assisting the surgeons during the operations, you are responsible in endangering our patients.
R.Bezzina
Nov 24th 2008, 14:10
It is obvious that you are trying to attract sympathy, you know well the difficulties that the patients are facing and that nurses are covering more than they should. As a responsible person you should have suggested the government also to bring foreign doctors so the patients could benefit from a better service, since they are working very long hours risking their safety and the patient`s safety. MUMN was responsible enough to accept foreign nurses so patients will have better care, but while MUMN accepts them, these nurses should know how to speak English well, so that they can explain care to the patients. Apart from this Maltese nurses should be the first choice because most of them are bilingual and fully qualified by the University of Malta, thus this mean quality of care and safety. Although it is understandable that you contest with the Nationalist Party, the MUMN aim is as a union that should be independent and represent the nurses, without making any difference from their political perspective, and not representing who is contesting for MEP. MUMN should not do any favours to one candidate or another, even in this situation that you are a nurse.
alessia
Nov 24th 2008, 13:44
Malta requires good people to contest for MEP and act on the problems we have, rather than passing time writing on the newspapers, we don`t care if you are an honorary president or not. We want to know what it could be done to improve the health care system, because I don`t think that only nurses are the problem because many things are not working well at Mater Dei.
J Farrugia
Nov 24th 2008, 11:41
This union - the MUMN - is going to the extreme left, down the drain with its actions taken by the present council. Nurses open your eyes before it would be too late..
J Farrugia
Nov 24th 2008, 11:37
Why should he care if he is still hon. president of not? He is free to do whatever he wants. He is free to decide whatever he wants. Let them eat humble pie if the nurses want such bad leadership. From today onwards they (the nurses and MUMN) will have to do their duties otherwise... it's in our hands, the patients' hands and their relatives. Rudolph has done his duty magnificently and no times or independent will make him look back at his past presidency. He did his duty as MUMN President in accordance with his members' wishes. Now that he retired from the presidency he will seek pastures new. Good luck in his new endevours.