Healthcare professionals at Karin Grech, St Luke’s and Gozo General hospitals on Monday stopped seeing new patients or carrying out follow-up visits, in industrial action ordered by union UĦM Voice of the Workers.

In a statement, the union said it ordered the action because the government "failed to keep its word" to transfer Steward Healthcare employees to its books by January 1.

The industrial action applies to all patients except for urgent cases. 

The union said that in 2019, when it won recognition for Steward’s workers, it had "immediately demanded" their transfer to the government. The request was made because Steward employees were receiving a lower pay to that of similar professionals employed by the state, despite doing the same job at the same place of work. 

Last November, the government accepted the UĦM’s request after the latter resorted to industrial action.

The government agreed to absorb the workers and give them equal pay and conditions with effect from January 1, 2019. It also committed itself to complete their transfer by the end of December.

However, since this did not happen, the union, in the second week of January, gave the government a one-week extension to make the necessary changes.

But the government "failed to keep its word and it did not even reply to the union’s correspondence", the UĦM said.

Consequently, it declared a fresh industrial dispute and issued the directives. 

On Wednesday, the union hoped the government will listen to these workers and deliver on its promise to treat professionals who have been at the forefront in the fight against COVID-19 with the dignity they deserve.