Steward Health Care Malta, in reaction to this morning’s press conference by the Malta Union of Midwives and Nurses, said that it has been “awaiting direction from the Health Ministry” following the request made by the MUMN with regards to meal allowances being provided to government employees in Steward hospitals.

In a statement, Steward said that further to a request made last June on the matter by the union, “it has since been in discussions with the Health Ministry and awaits further direction on the matter.”

Steward pointed out that “these allowances are within the remit of the Ministry as part of the policies and agreements relating to public service employees, and are not at Steward’s discretion.”

The union today issued directives, which come into effect on Wednesday. Steward said that its position has been clear from the very beginning, “that it has no objection in principle to employees working in the Gozo General Hospital, Karin Grech Hospital as well as St Luke’s Hospital being given the same meal allowance as their counterparts in other hospitals.”

This, it said, was communicated to the union and the Health Ministry on several occasions since the request was made.

“Whilst the right to industrial action is a constitutionally protected right that Steward will always respect, Steward would like to echo the sentiments voiced by the general public and urge stakeholders to remember that industrial action should not come at the expense of patients’ wellbeing,” it said.

Steward Malta concluded by saying that its “primary duty remains the health of the Maltese and Gozitan communities that it serves.”

Photo by Anthony Zammit

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