Industrial action by psychologists who work in prison and state schools was averted at the eleventh hour when the government agreed to meet their union next week.

The Malta Union of Professional Psychologists had issued directives to psychologists who work in the home affairs and education divisions over infringements of their sectoral agreement. The directives were meant to come into force yesterday.

Psychologists at Corradino Correctional Facility were told not to answer phone calls and e-mails and not to assess inmates for parole. Psychologists assigned to the education division were also instructed not to answer phones and e-mails and not to carry out supplementary assessments requested by the school.

Following a meeting with government representatives, the union was informed on Thursday evening that top officials from the home affairs and education divisions would be meeting its representatives next week.

“The aim of the meeting is to resolve the issues that forced the union to register the industrial dispute with the said divisions,” union president Bernard Caruana said.

The union is accusing the government, which employs about 22 psychologists, of dragging its feet over the revision of the 1996 sectoral agreement.

Mr Caruana said the three government ministries that employed psychologists – health, home affairs and education – were not observing the agreement.

The complaint raised with the health division was not discussed at Thursday’s meeting. The union would be discussing what action to take in this regard in the coming days, Mr Caruana said.