Unions say government pushing to curtail unions' right to take industrial action

The 11-union federation of unions For.u.m has accused the health ministry of spreading lies about the nurses and midwives union MUMN refusing to give patients medicines as part of their industrial directives, launched earlier this week.

“The ministry expects nurses to leave wards and patients unattended to collect medicines from pharmacies for their patients. The MUMN is saying nurses should not be standing in queues to collect these medicines when they should be caring for patients The public shold know there are less nurses in wards than established,” For.u.m president John Bencini said.

The MUMN is demanding that other health workers are assigned the role of providing these medicines for patients. “For.u.m and the European Federation of Nurses condemns the ministry’s accusations that the MUMN’s directives are illegal. We sense government is trying to force changes in the industrial relations area that would make it impossible for any union to take industrial action,” Bencini said.

“Government should be thanking nurses publicly for thie work, despite a shortfall of some 550 inside the system.,” Bencini said.