MAM council authorises more doctors’ industrial action on 15 and 16 February

Council notes government seems to not accept MAM proposals, had not given union concession transfer documents requested on 7 February

The doctors' union council has authorised the union to undertake more industrial action on 15 and 16 February. Pictured: A&E staff, who were amongst the few doctors exempted from the strike on 6 February
The doctors' union council has authorised the union to undertake more industrial action on 15 and 16 February. Pictured: A&E staff, who were amongst the few doctors exempted from the strike on 6 February

The Medical Association of Malta’s council has authorised the doctors’ union to carry out more industrial action on the 15 and 16 February, should negotiations with government fail to reach a satisfactory conclusion by that date.

In a council resolution sent today, the MAM council said that it had not received from the government documents related to the concession transfer, which it had requested on 7 February, despite the promise of contract transparency.

“…the first indications are that while government is agreeing in principle with MAM it will not be accepting MAM proposals,” the council said, “either because of lack of intention and/or serious difficulties arising from a contract with inadequate exit clauses resulting from lack of expertise or otherwise in the drafting of the original contract.”

The resolution authorised MAM to write to third parties involved in the hospitals’ concession and make public any correspondence, should the dispute remain unresolved.

It also gave authorisation to MAM to proceed with legal action if its legal advisors deemed this necessary, and to ensure that patients who missed their appointment would have it re-scheduled to not more than four weeks after the date of the industrial action.

The council reiterated that it was not against public-private partnerships, but in principle opposed public health services operated by organisations meant to make profit.