Mediation in the health issue between the General Workers’ Union and the government has led to a cooling-off period, with the union accepting to withdraw all its directives for three weeks.

The mediation was under the aegis of Dr Noel Vella, Director of Labour and Industrial Relations. The union directives affected nursing aides in hospitals and health centres.

The union representatives at the mediation meeting were secretary general Tony Zarb and David Mallia and Louis Marsh, respectively president and secretary of the union’s Government and Public Entities section.

The union and the government are to hold their first meeting tomorrow at 10am.

The ministry said that during the cooling-off period, discussions on the issues between the two sides would be “intensive”.

It added that with goodwill from all sides, they could continue improving the health services so that patients and the elderly would continue receiving better treatment.