UHM registers industrial dispute with Health Department

The Health Services Section within the Union Haddiema Maghqudin (UHM) has registered an industrial dispute with the Department of Health with regards to the pharmacy technicians.

UHM has been in discussions with the Department of Health since March 201. The union said that since the pharmacy technicians had been performing new duties within the remit of the Department of Health, such as the POYC, Mater Dei Hospital and Procurement Services, they should have their sectoral agreement amended.

UHM added "the Department, however, has denied this possibility and instead of trying to find an agreement on such employees, decided that it would not be meeting with the Union regarding such workers."

For this reason, the Union has registered an Industrial Dispute and is ordering the pharmacy technicians as follows:

• There should be no use of telephones and emails.
• There should be no dispensing.
• Stores: No processing of emails except for emergency processes
• DPPM/MEU - Data inputting only
• POYC: no processing of return items from Pharmacies at store level, no alteration of summation
• Repackaging of POYC: no signing of worksheets
• POYC Preparation area - No checking of orders
• MDH: Relieving pharmacy technicians should only help other pharmacy technicians in their duties while non-relievers prepare staff should only do prescriptions which are usually done by part timers after hours

The union said it does not exclude increasing industrial actions should the department fail to meet to discuss the new realities that these workers are facing.