Health Ministry pursues legal action against MUMN over ‘abusive’ cath lab strike

The Health Ministry has started formal legal proceedings against the Malta Union of Midwives and Nurses (MUMN), seeking a court declaration that recent industrial action at Mater Dei Hospital was disproportionate, excessive, and illegal.

The dispute, which reached the First Hall of the Civil Court, centres on industrial directives issued by the MUMN in December 2025 that targeted elective procedures within the Cath Lab of the Cardiology Department.

According to the sworn application filed by the Ministry’s Permanent Secretary and the CEO of Mater Dei, the conflict arose from a disagreement regarding vacation leave for nurses within the Cath Lab.

The ministry alleges that the MUMN attempted to dictate which Charge Nurse should have the authority to approve leave requests.

In response, the union ordered its members to stop participating in elective cases starting from 4 December 2025.

The government says these directives are abusive because the Cath Lab is the only facility in Malta providing such specialised cardiac care.

Legal documents argue that while the cases were classified as elective, they involve vital diagnostic procedures and operations for serious heart conditions. The ministry warned that cancelling such appointments creates a manifest risk to patient lives, potentially leading to acute heart attacks, heart failure, serious arrhythmias, strokes and premature death.

The industrial action was originally curtailed by an injunction filed by the ministry on 3 December 2025. The court upheld this injunction on 17 December, specifically regarding the provision of essential services at the Cath Lab, ensuring that care could continue for the community.

Although the MUMN eventually withdrew the directives during a sitting on 12 December 2025, they did so on the condition that the underlying dispute remained resolved. The union stated it reserved the right to re-issue the directives if they felt their members’ rights were again infringed.

The ministry is now asking the court to definitively rule that the union has no right to halt essential services at the Cath Lab. They argue that the MUMN’s stance, holding the threat of future strikes over life-saving departments, is an illegal use of industrial power.

The MUMN now has twenty days to file a sworn response to these claims. If they fail to do so, the court may proceed to give a decision in their absence.

The list of witnesses for the case include Health Minister Jo-Etienne Abela, Mater Dei CEO Keith Attard, and MUMN officials Paul Pace and Colin Galea.

The case was presented by lawyers Michael Schriha, Paul Cachia, and Daniel Cutajar.