New action at Sedqa

The industrial action at Agenzija Sedqa was stepped up yesterday with six new directives entering into force.

Jesmond Bonello, the secretary of the Union Haddiema Maghqudin's public entities section, said the employees have been directed not to attend any meetings, not to take any urine tests except in emergency cases, not to organise group meetings with clients or their families, not to accept new cases, not to see people without an appointment and not to read or pass on any correspondence both within the agency or from outside.

The union registered an industrial dispute and started issuing directives last month. The dispute revolves around increments due to workers that the union is claiming were not paid.

Mr Bonello said both the agency's management and the government had ignored the union's ultimatum to pay these increments.

Attempts to contact Sedqa's operations director Jean Claude Cardona yesterday afternoon proved futile.