Paramedic aides at Mater Dei Hospital are taking industrial action in response to a government decision to postpone signing a collective agreement following two years of negotiations.
This newspaper learnt of the directive after a patient visited the Paola health centre on Friday for a cortisol blood test, only to be told by the receptionist that such blood tests were not being administered because the laboratories at Mater Dei Hospital were on strike. Emergency blood tests are still being processed.
We are only asking for their right to be paid equally to other employees who have an MCAST diploma, and also for more training
The secretary of the health services section of Union Ħaddiema Magħqudin, Gian Paul Gauci, said directives were issued on Thursday after union representatives spent an hour waiting for representatives of the Health Ministry and the Office of the Prime Minister .
“After an hour of waiting, two people entered and told us the meeting had been postponed after the two parties failed to come to an agreement between themselves.”
The union has been in the process of negotiating a collective agreement for the paramedic aides for the past two years.
Paramedic aides normally process patients’ blood tests before they are passed on to professionals at the laboratory. Despite graduating with a diploma, they are paid the equivalent of people who only possess an O-level standard of education, Mr Gauci said.
“We are only asking for their right to be paid equally to other employees who have a diploma from MCAST such as ECG technicians and pharmacy technicians. We are also asking for more training.”
Patient Raylene Dalli said her specialist had booked her appointment three weeks in advance and she had to take steroids 11 hours before the scheduled test when she found out about the industrial action.
“Are these the improvements which are supposed to be unfolding within the Health Department?”, she said.
A spokeswoman from the Health Parliamentary Secretariat said discussions between the Health Department and the UĦM were ongoing to find a solution.
The Health Department said it will continue to take all the necessary measures to ensure that patients are served in the best possible way.