The nurses' union is refusing to attend sectoral agreement meetings that include the participation of a political advisor to the health ministry's permanent secretary.

It has also declared a dispute with the government over the agreement and warned it would be issuing directives.

In a statement on Monday, the Malta Union for Midwives and Nurses said it had circulated a letter among its members about meetings being held with the government over a new sectoral agreement.

MUMN said it was "astonished" about the presence of the advisor, who, it claimed, was not present for other sectoral agreement meetings including for doctors and allied health professionals.

It added that the appointed political advisor had "no insight, no knowledge and no experience in issues pertaining to the nursing and midwifery grades".

It was clear they had been appointed so that MUMN officials are "grossly outnumbered in the meetings", making it more difficult to negotiate, the union claimed.

Their presence would lead to increased interruptions and counterarguments against MUMN's proposals, the union fears. 

It would also be easier for the government's side to shoot down the union's proposals, it said, adding that the "current permanent secretary is very eager to appease the political advisor which is purely a job for the boys, rather than seeking the best interest of the nurses and the midwives".

The same secretary "makes no distinction between his office and that of the health minister. Political advisors should only belong to a health minister and not to the office of the permanent secretary," MUMN said in its letter.

As a result, the union will not attend any meeting that include the participation of political advisors.

"Sectorial agreements should only involve government officials. It is unacceptable that the government intends to give a hard time to MUMN to negotiate an innovative sectoral agreement that retains and attracts a decent nursing and midwifery workforce," it said.

Referring to a separate issue, the union said it had suffered a "typical musical chairs situation" from the government.

"Overtime tax incentives and pension schemes proposals by the MUMN were directed by the permanent secretary to the finance minister.

"MUMN then requested a meeting with the finance minister, who refused to meet MUMN and re-directed MUMN back to the permanent secretary."

It was clear, the union noted, that it was going to be a "hard, rough and dirty road for MUMN to obtain a decent sectoral agreement".

Union declares dispute

For this reason, the MUMN was declaring a dispute and expected all nurses and midwives to adhere to MUMN directives once these are issued.

"Without your support, MUMN can never obtain a decent sectorial agreement to address the serious shortage of nurses in the country. Directives will be issued shortly if the two issues are not resolved immediately.

"MUMN also expects that all nurses and midwives keep adhering to the directives even if a court mandate is issued... MUMN is prepared for all circumstances."