During Friday’s Extraordinary General Conference, the nurses and midwives approved overwhelmingly the new sectorial agreement.

The Malta Union of Midwives and Nurses said that the vote “exceeded all expectations” with nurses and midwives approving the new sectorial agreement by 87%.

In a statement, the MUMN confirmed that “most of its proposals had been accepted and will be introduced during the five-year term of this agreement.”

The union went on to say that this new sectorial agreement which MUMN will sign with the Office of the Prime Minister “will introduce new incentives which will encourage the young people to join the nursing and midwifery profession while retaining the existing nursing work force.”

The new measures are:

All nurses and midwives in all grades will be receiving a management allowance since only the nurses and midwives manage the wards and other places of weeks.

The extra 6.6 hours which nurses and midwives work as part of their roster will be paid as overtime and not on flat rate as it has always been since the 1970s.

The palm reader will only be introduced when all employees, irrespective of their salary scales (Directors, Medical Consultants, top management within the Health and Elderly Ministry etc), start also using the palm reader.

Any new IT systems such as the failed Robotic Drug Dispensing System cannot be imposed on the nurses and midwives unless implemented with agreement with MUMN.

New allowances were introduced to all new graduates as to attract and retain the nurses and midwives.

Increased allowances for Continuous Professional Development.

Another new allowance will incentive nurses and midwives to receive more remuneration when working overtime.

All existing allowances pertaining to the nurses and midwifery grades were increased.

Deduction from allowances due to sick leave will cease to take place when there is no abuse of sick leave.

Health Minister Chris Fearne responding to the result of the vote by writing on social media that he was “pleased to see that MUMN members have this evening voted overwhelmingly in favour of government’s proposals for a new nurses’ sectoral agreement – a positive outcome for nurses and ultimately for patient.”

Permalink: 87% of nurses approve new sectorial agreement