All Steward Health Care employees who on January 1 should have been transferred to the government's books have presented a petition to Health Minister Chris Fearne, as the transfer has still not taken place.

The agreement for the employees’ transfer was reached in November between the UĦM Voice of the Workers and the government.

The union said in a statement the workers were suffering an injustice on a daily basis as they are doing the same job as their colleagues on the government’s books, with the same patients, in the same wards, but have inferior working conditions including lower wages. 

In their petition (see pdf link below), the workers asked when the transfer agreement, which provides for their transfer with the same conditions enjoyed by government workers, is to be implemented. 

Workers also noted that the agreement reached last November stated that their years of service with Steward will be considered as having been served with the government when the transfer takes place. 

The petition, signed by all 44 professionals concerned, was presented with a letter endorsed by UĦM CEO Josef Vella and assistant director Gian Paul Gauci, who negotiated on their behalf.