Health professionals on ‘go slow’ directives over expired collective agreement

Allied health professionals from the Union Haddiema Maqghudin will go ahead with industrial directives in protest at the lack of good will from the government over an expired collective agreement.

In a statement released hours after health minister Chris Fearne announced the closure of bars and clubs as part of new restrictions to combat the COVID-19 pandemic, the UHM launched industrial action for a host of medical professionals.

These comprise audiologists, biomedical scientists, dental hygienists and technologists, occupational therapists, physiotherapists, podiatrists, radiographers and speech language pathologists.

“Despite a collective agreement having expired three years ago, the government is stamping its feet with these frontliners by not giving pay increases and better conditions meritorious of their professional roles. These people have been a major pillar in our health service, and the lack of a collective agreement for them means they suffer conditions last applied to them seven years ago.”

The actions start Tuesday and will include the postponement of non-urgent operations; go-slow directives for radiographers in the emergency department; CT scans, MRIs and theatres will be shut down except for emergencies; and blood testing will not be processed unless for an emergency or for COVID-19 swabs.

Podiatrists will only provide urgent services in hospitals and primary care; occupational therapists will not see new patients or offer home visits; patients with dysphagia and swallowing problems will be referred to casualty while speech therapy will be stopped except for first-case visits; hearing tests will stop and physiotherapists will only see respiratory cases.