[WATCH] MAM and MUMN in war of words over hospital directives

General Secretary of the Medical Association of Malta, Martin Balzan, explains the reasons behind MAM's decision to register for an industrial action.

The Secretary General of the Medical Association of Malta (MAM), Martin Balzan, has hit back at the Malta Union for Midwives and Nurses (MUMN) after it criticised the “hypocrital nature” by which it was registering for industrial action.

Earlier, MAM registered an industrial dispute with the Ministry for Health over alleged non-compliance of the current collective agreement. And in a separate action, the MAM also filed a judicial protest on the renewal of the collective agreement of the University of Malta’s academic staff. Moreover, MAM lodged a judicial protest against the University of Malta Academic Staff Association (UMASA), and the Malta Union of Teachers (MUT).

This afternoon, Balzan announced a series of directive actions following the union's industrial strike announcement. Amongst these actions, lecturers will not be allowed to deliver lectures or give tutorials. This means that if the dispute is not solved by the October 1st, the medical school could shut down for a year.

Lecturers will still be allowed to continue bed-side teaching but Balzan said that MAM would reserve the right to take action in the future. Doctors have also been told not to accept any more foreign students for the next academic year. More actions include a one hour strike for all public health sectors between 8am and 9am. This, however, excludes the accident and emergency unit, as well as the operating theatres.

Patients who already have an appointment booked in that hour will not be effected either. No sick leave certificates will be issued throughout the whole of Tuesday either.

News of the industrial dispute was followed by a press release by the MUMN in which it accused MAM of hypocrisy. “MAM always stressed that the [Health] unions should avoid directives so as not to affect the patient’s health. The same union is declaring an industrial dispute which will negatively affect patient care,” the MUMN said.

Speaking to this newspaper, Balzan said that, whilst the Union was open to criticism, he said that MUMN President Paul Pace should not interfere with the actions of other unions. “This is something which he does not really understand,” Balzan said.  “What I can say is that we are very prudent where health comes into the equation

“This industrial action, in fact, hardly affects patient care and we are always ensuring that this is given much attention,” he said, adding that the Association showed “much patience” before resorting to such measures.

“I personally refrain from commenting on other unions because I know that every single one of them has their own issues and methods.”

“Paul Pace from MUMN has calculated that 46 current directives (issued) by MUMN at Mater Dei is a smaller number than (the) one issued by MAM and will provide the mathematical genius to prove their hypothesis correct, of course, without any hypocrisy,” it added in a statement.

However, the MUMN’s Paul Pace pointed out that the union only has five directives in place at Mater Dei, insisting that neither of these directives are having a negative impact on patients or the services offered at the hospital.

In comments to MaltaToday, Pace hit back at the medical association’s chief and said “Martin Balzan is right because with a salary in the region of €75,000 a year and thousands more they earn from their private practice, doctors and consultants will certainly not die of hunger.”