UĦM – Voice of the Workers has issued directives to nursing aides in all health centres because of “discrimination”.

A union spokesman said the nursing aides were instructed not to use their computer until the government decided to grant an extra allowance to all nursing aides and not only to those in Mosta and Paola.

The spokesman warned that the industrial action could be stepped up in the coming days if the Health Ministry continued to ignore the request.

Nursing aides told this newspaper their colleagues in Mosta and Paola were getting a monthly allowance of €88 for “making contact” with patients, but the payment did not apply to all.

We think we are all the same, as we do exactly the same work

This newspaper is informed that the allowance was given to nursing aides in Mosta for many years, on the grounds that they accompanied patients while being transported by ambulance stationed there.

Then, a few weeks before the election, it was decided to also base an ambulance in Paola, and the allowance was extended to nursing aides posted there.

“We think we are all the same, because we do exactly the same work. Therefore, all nursing aides should be given the allowance,” a nursing aide posted at the Floriana health centre complained.

According to the UĦM spokesman, the allowance is “just an excuse for giving nursing aides extra remuneration, as none of them are accompanying patients in ambulances any longer. The nursing aides have been replaced by professionals a long time ago. So now it is time to give this allowance to everyone.”

The Health Ministry insisted that “nursing aides at Mosta and Paola health centres are eligible to an allowance in relation to duties at the ambulance service stationed at these health centres”.

Industrial action is also in progress at another government entity, Jobsplus, over the finalisation of the collective agreement.

All employees have been directed not to reply to e-mails or communicate by telephone. In this case, the UĦM said negotiations were long overdue and management did not want to agree to higher remuneration.

ivan.camilleri@timesofmalta.com