The Union Haddiema Maghqudin has issued an ultimatum to the Management and Personnel Office (MPO) and the Rural Affairs Ministry, saying “they have been showing a lack of interest” to start negotiating the Agricultural Class employees’ agreement, which was last revised more than 10 years ago.

The UHM said that weeks ago, it had put forward a number of proposals regarding revisions to these employees’ working conditions, but no form of tangible reply has yet been given.

The employees involved include principal agricultural officers, senior agricultural officers, agricultural officers, principal agricultural foremen, senior agricultural foremen, agricultural foremen and assistant agricultural foremen.

The UHM has informed both the MPO, within the Office of the Prime Minister, and the Rural Affairs Ministry that industrial action would have to be taken unless the situation is not remedied by Monday 19 October.

The UHM government employees’ section will be discussing what type of industrial action would be taken in the coming days.

In its statement, the UHM said the authorities’ attitude to procrastinate does not augur well for industrial relations between the unions and employers.