The General Workers’ Union yesterday re-introduced industrial actions it had suspended earlier this year, in a dispute with the Health Ministry over sole recognition for nursing aides.

It said that because of the ministry’s foot dragging over the issue it has been forced to re-introduce the actions at hospitals, health centres, and homes for the elderly. Health assistants, care workers and assistant care workers have also been brought in, in solidarity with the nursing aides.

The union said the ministry had been using delaying tactics on the pretext of needing time to collect information though it was clear that the union had an absolute majority of nursing aides as members.

The GWU said it has warned the government it would not be bound by any agreement the government signed with another union while negotiations were continuing with it over points which had been pending for long.

In a statement, the Health Ministry said that while it respected the union’s right to order industrial action, it said that such action created unnecessary hardship to patients.