The government has ordered an inquiry after the Opposition spokesman for health last week claimed that a private company supplying care workers to public hospitals had adopted illegal and abusive working practices.

Ms Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca had described the situation as 'legalised slavery'.

The inquiry board is composed of Joe Scicluna, Chairman, Dr Frank Pullicino and Dr Cynthia Scerri Debono.

The government said the Department of Employment and Industrial Relations had not received any complaints about this issue but had looked into the conditions of work of the workers, and the inquiry would now be held.

It said no exploitation of workers could ever be tolerated under any circumstances. 

The company, Support Services Ltd, last Friday denied the claims that the care workers employed by it were denied sick leave, maternity rights and were paid paltry hourly rates. It was not true, the company said, that care workers were paid €3.80 per hour.

Support Services Ltd was engaged by the government to supply care workers at St Vincent de Paul Residence and Mater Dei and Karin Grech hospitals.

See also

http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20110505/local/legalised-slavery-for-hospital-care-workers-pl-spokesman.363795