Nurse in limbo over salary tug of war

A nurse who has worked with the Education Department for the past 16 years may have to report for work at the Health Division from next month because the department seems reluctant to take her on its books.

For the past 16 years, during which she worked in special schools, the Health Division has paid for the nurse's salary, but Colin Galea, general secretary of the Malta Union of Midwives and Nurses (MUMN), said the division had recently adopted a policy under which it would not be footing the salaries of nurses who were not giving a direct service to the division.

To make matters worse, Mr Galea said, the Education Department was dragging its feet about taking the nurse onto its books and paying her salary.

MUMN president Rudolph Cini told The Times that the nurse had been told by the Health Division to report for work at the division as from June 1.

"If she does not do that, she will not be paid," he said.

However, Mr Cini said, the nurse did not want to return to the Health Division.

"She has built a rapport with the students and the other staff, and is very happy with her job," he said, adding that she was part of the school's complement and not an extra staff member. The nurse, who is not being named, carries out nursing services in a school for children with special needs. The union president said that during a meeting with the Education Department at the beginning of the year, it was agreed that the nurse would continue working at the school. He said department representatives said they were happy with her and wanted to include her in an in-service training programme and she would also do a conversion course to become a staff nurse.

The two MUMN representatives said they had requested a meeting with the Education Department director at the beginning of the month to discuss the issue, but had not even received a reply. They said the union hoped it would not have to take further steps to safeguard the interests of its member.

The union has now asked Education, Youth and Employment Minister Louis Galea to intervene.