Nurses’ union suspends threat of industrial action after government improves pay proposals

The nurses’ union has postponed threats of widespread industrial action in hospitals after government made fresh counterproposals on pay and conditions on Wednesday night.

Paul Pace, president of the Malta Union of Midwives and Nurses, told MaltaToday government’s counterproposals received yesterday were “more substantial” than the original ones that prompted the union to threaten industrial action.

“We are still far away from reaching an agreement but the proposals are more substantial than government’s initial offer and there is the will to move forward,” Pace said.

The union met with health ministry officials and others from the Office of the Prime Minister on Thursday and another meeting is scheduled in the coming days.

“We will not be issuing any directives for the time being,” Pace said, adding that a tight balance has to be found between putting more money on young people to stay in the profession and safeguarding the managerial grades.

Pace said the financial package has to increase and the distribution of funds improved.

“We have a problem with young people having more job opportunities in other sectors, or being poached elsewhere, and when I talk of young people I am referring to Maltese and foreign nurses because continuity of care is an important issue,” he said.

The union had branded government’s initial counterproposal that amounted to just a single page as not worthy of a “tissue paper”.

The MUMN threatened widespread industrial action across most public hospitals, impacting various wards and medical services. The action would have crippled the public health service.