“Widespread, across-the-board” directives to doctors over precarious employment will come into force next week.
The directives are expected to be announced today.
The industrial action is over disputes the doctors’ union has at the University and in the health sector.
Medical Association of Malta members met yesterday afternoon and authorised the council to take action in the light of the University’s “intransigence” and “unresolved problems” with the Health Ministry.
MAM general secretary Martin Balzan said doctors were fed up being considered second-class citizens at the University, with which the union has a dispute over the Medical School, where about 400 doctors teach on a part-time basis.
He complained that lecturers at the Medical School were being offered one-year contracts, which was “almost precarious employment”.
“The payment is inferior to other lecturers but that is not the main issue. Our primary concern is the issue of recognition of our qualifications and over our status,” Dr Balzan said. He said the association was “seriously considering” suing for damages, “which will run into millions of euros”, with regard to remuneration.
Dr Balzan said there were many issues with the Health Ministry but the main concern related to the collective agreement, which, although signed with the government weeks before the last general election, was not being honoured.
Certain measures listed in the signed collective agreement had yet to be introduced, he said. “We showed a lot of patience but that is now running out,” he added.
In Gozo, for example, doctors were not receiving the increments agreed upon.
There were also issues related to working hours at health centres. The doctors’ presence between 5pm and 8pm was “a short-term” measure that the MAM had accepted, even though it knew that this shift after a night shift was “illegal”.
“We accepted to have it running for a year because there was no other option but after 18 months it still hasn’t changed. These are just a few of the issues,” he said.
Asked what directives would be issued and whether he excluded a doctors’ strike, Dr Balzan said it was the council that would decide and the decision would be announced today.
“The details have not been finalised yet but we will be seeing an escalation of directives starting from next week,” he said.