Steward employees submit petition to Health Minister over delayed transfer to government books

All employees who on the January 1 of this year should have been transferred from Steward Health Care to the government's books have submitted a petition to Health Minister Chris Fearne due to delays in the transfer.

The petition, signed by 44 professionals working with Steward, asks when the transfer agreement will be implemented in a letter endorsed by UĦM CEO Josef Vella and Assistant Director Gian Paul Gauci.

The agreement was reached last November between government and UĦM Voice of the Workers, providing for the transfer of Steward employees with the Foundation for Medical Services with the same conditions enjoyed by government workers.

The agreement also states that the years of service with Steward will be considered as having been made with the government when the transfer takes place.

This move was prompted as the government is yet to honour this agreement. UĦM said in a statement that Steward’s employees are doing the same job as their colleagues on Government’s books, with the same patients, in the same wards, but have inferior working conditions including lower wages.

Petition attached below