Care workers and nursing aides at various sections of Mater Dei are holding a one-hour strike in protest over promotions and the payment of an allowance.

The action affects some 100 workers from the Medical Imaging Department and the Central Sterile Services Department.

The action was ordered by the UHM, whose officials said these workers had not been promoted to Category A, which made them eligible for an allowance of €1,150 because they were in contact with patients.

The officials criticised the Ministry of Social Policy for not respecting an existing agreement.

UHM President Gejtu Tanti said the agreement for the allowances was signed on March 6 last year and laid down that workers who were in contact with patients should get this allowance. These workers, he said, had actually been trained to work with patients. They were all doing the work of those in Category A, since they were in contact with patients, Mr Tanti said, yet, strangely, when the workers were interviewed to test their suitability for the grade, only 12 of some 200 were passed. Even those 12 had not received their allowance.

He said the UHM had also directed the workers to indefinitely not be in contact with patients.

The MUMN condemned the industrial action.