Following a press statement issued by the Health Division asking the General Workers Union (GWU) to seek a solution through negotiations, the union said it has asked the Office of the Prime Minister to make an appointment for a meeting to find a solution as soon as possible.

However, the government replied that the union must first suspend its directives before it is given an appointment, as is the normal practice in industrial relations.

Speaking at a press conference, Louis Marsh, the GWU’s Government and Public Entities Section Secretary, said the union will suspend all industrial action at midnight of the day when an eventual meeting is scheduled to be held.

Mr Marsh said the industrial action was triggered because the union is seeking to upgrade all nursing aides to salary scale 13 to obtain an adequate premium for health assistants and care workers and a better roster. The last two requests have been pending since 1993.

He said that of the approximately 700 nursing aides, 450 are currently on salary scale 13, while the others are on scale 14. This is unacceptable in an EU member state, said Mr Marsh, adding that the GWU is seeking to remove any inequality between workers doing the same job. Mr Marsh also referred to the current roster system, whereby some workers are paid for 46 and two-thirds hours while others are paid for fewer hours and yet cover the same number of hours. The GWU is proposing that the two-and-a-half hour break for the latter category should be shortened, or else their pay should be at par with the other group.

He said that, contrary to what had been reported in the media, the workers who are currently on industrial action are not obliged to wash and change patients, but their duty is to assist in such work. He reiterated that every industrial action undertaken affects more people than those involved, but made the point that all duties in health institutions are being carried out, albeit taking longer to complete.

He also rejected allegations that GWU members had threatened strike breakers, and gave assurances that the accusations stemmed from misunderstandings.

In its statement, the government said that unfortunately, the union’s stance confirms that there are still those who are not bothered about using patients’ suffering to reach their goals.

The government said it is still looking forward to continuing the discussions so that the plight of patients is relieved.