The UĦM Voice of the Workers trade union said on Wednesday that it will take part in Sunday's protest, called by the PN in the wake of the court judgment striking down the deal which handed three state hospitals to Vitals/Steward.

The union recalled that it had opposed the deal from the outset, describing it as daylight robbery. In 2016 it had joined the doctors' union in calling for an investigation by the auditor-general. That investigation had revealed irregularities and was pivotal for Friday's court sentence. 

It had also sued the government after it did not honour a written agreement to take Steward workers under its wing with the same pay and conditions as other workers doing the same work.

UĦM officials on Wednesday discussed the situation with Opposition leader Bernard Grech during a meeting at the union's offices in Floriana.

Union secretary Josef Vella said workers engaged by Steward were still being discriminated against, being paid less than workers in comparable roles employed by the government. Despite the government's commitment, these workers' years of service with Steward were not counted and their salaries were at the bottom of their scales, he said