Industrial action which has impacted hundreds of people with disabilities will be suspended on Friday for another round of talks between the UĦM and the permanent secretary at the Ministry for Social Solidarity.

The union ordered industrial action by care workers, social workers and occupational therapists after no agreement was reached in negotiations on the new collective agreement.

The directive was slammed by several organisations which work for people with disabilities, and the government had called them excessive and disproportionate.

The permanent secretary at the Social Solidarity Ministry on Thursday invited the union for another round of talks to settle outstanding issues and urged it to immediately suspend the actions. 

The government said the union had replied that it would suspend the actions on Friday before 11am.

The government regretted that the industrial action would not be suspended immediately but hoped that the issue would now be settled.   

PN: The government should not drag its feet any longer

The Nationalist Party said the last collective agreement expired two years ago and the government should not delay a new one, to the detriment of people with disabilities.