The Malta Union of Midwives and Nurses yesterday threatened to call industrial action by the end of March if the Health Division did not supply its members with uniforms, and issued a directive to members not to wear a uniform to work.

In a statement, the Malta Union of Midwives and Nurses (MUMN) said it sent a letter to the Health Division complaining about the long delay in providing the nurses and midwives with their work uniforms.

The MUMN said the Health Division should have given out the uniforms by the end of 2006 but, for one reason or another, did not do so.

Nurses and midwives, pointed out the union, were constantly working in an environment of infectious diseases and the lack of uniforms was endangering their lives and the lives of their families.

Furthermore, the MUMN added, it has become standard practice to give out the uniforms several months late, leaving the nurses and midwives to face difficulties in using uniforms that are 16 months old.

The health professionals are complaining that even though they want to wear the uniforms to protect their health and for professional reasons, they are not in a position to do so.