The Malta Union of Midwives and Nurses (MUMN) has taken the government to court over the latter's refusal to offer the union recognition of public sector physiotherapists.

The judicial protest was signed by five physiotherapists - Pauline Fenech, Luciano Pace Parascandalo, Darren Sillato, James Dalli, Laura Schembri - as well as MUMN President Maria Cutajar, Secretary General Colin Galea, Vice President Noel Camilleri and Treasurer George Saliba.

The protest was filed against the Prime Minister, the Director General of the Department of Health, the Permanent Secretary within the Office of the Prime Minister, the Director General of the Public Administration HR Office (PAHRO) and the Attorney General.

The MUMN said the majority of public sector physiotherapists are members of the union but they say the Principal Permanent Secretary, through PAHRO, is refusing to grant recognition on the basis of a 2012 collective agreement.

The protest says Fenech, Pace Parascandalo, Sillato, Dalli and Schembri only want to be represented by the MUMN. It was clear that the MUMN represented the majority of public sector physiotherapists and was in fact negotiating on their behalf for a new collective agreement.

The union said it was being hindered from exercising its rights at law and the refusal to grant recognition was also in breach of the plaintiffs' right to freedom of association, which is enshrined in the constitution and the European Convention of Human Rights.

The protest was signed by lawyer Chris Cilia and legal procurator Gerald Bonello.