The Malta Union of Bank Employees (MUBE) has urged the health authorities to accelerate vaccinations to front liners who are performing critical services.

MUBE said that it will continue to support the Health Authority’s efforts and all those involved in keeping everyone safe and vaccinated. It said however, that “we cannot understand the logic behind the Health Authorities’ refusal to accelerate vaccination to front liners in the sector. To this effect, it must be appreciated that tension is increasingly high amongst front liners who mostly include customer facing employees and all those performing the critical service.”

MUBE argued that front liners in the financial services sector performing a critical service have been responding efficiently and thus MUBE expected that the Health Authorities would, by now, provide the necessary assistance and guidance - such as a timeframe whereby front liners will be vaccinated minimising risks to the employees and the customers.

Such critical service demands continuous contact with customers and/or interaction with external officials for long sessions in a normally ‘closed’ working environment, MUBE said. “The Malta Union of Bank Employees feels that it just does not make sense that they are not vaccinated whilst others in other sectors who are not in similar circumstances are being vaccinated.”

“Branches/offices have been closed due to positive cases found which, unfortunately, included a tragic fatality. MUBE is concerned about the safety of employees who continue to provide critical services to the community at large.”

MUBE said that it expected guidance from either Deputy Prime Minister Chris Fearne and/or Superintendent of Public Health Gauci.