1 comment.Steward Health Care workers are “suffering an injustice” – Nationalist Party
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The Nationalist Party has said that during a meeting today, “it emerged all too clearly that these Steward Health Care workers are being discriminated against and are not being afforded the same conditions and remuneration as other health care professionals who are employed with the government.”
The meeting was held between Nationalist Party leader Bernard Grech, Spokesperson for health Stephen Spiteri, Solidarjeta’ Haddiema Partit Nazzjonalista (SHPN), Forum Professjonisti Partit Nazzjonalista (FPPN) and UHM Voice of the Workers, together with representatives of these health care workers.
The leader of the Nationalist Party was told during the meeting that these health care professionals employed by Steward Health Care are each being paid around €3,600 less per annum when compared to fellow professionals employed by the government, “whilst also having inferior work conditions.”
The PN said that “this state of affairs is completely unacceptable and PN will keep striving until these professionals are given what is due to them by right.”
“Prior to the last general election, the Labour Party, then led by Joseph Muscat, promised ‘equal pay for equal work’ – what has happened to that rallying call with regards to these health care workers, the PN asked. What is Robert Abela doing in order to maintain his pre electoral promise of continuity?
SHPN and FPPN reiterated the fact that these health care professionals are “providing an impeccable service during challenging times. They are being subjected to the need of renting apartments from their own pocket in order to reduce the risks for both their patients and their families during these times of a global pandemic.”
The PN argued that, “it is therefore completely unacceptable that these health care professionals employed by Steward, whom the Government of Malta pays millions of Euros every year, keep suffering such discrimination with the said Steward making profits at their expense.”
SHPN and FPPN furthermore urged all trade unions to “speak up for the rights of these workers and not to allow the government or any other entity to cause discrimination when such an entity is paid from by the taxpayer.”
Photo by Anthony Zammit
As a former Trade Unionist who fought for Workers Rights and also as a Labour Party Parliamentarian, I always said & supported the 1971/72 Labour Law issued under Dom Mintoff Government, that all Workers are to be equally paid for the same job.
I held this view in 1971 – did so during my life and still do at present.
Where ever workers are doing the same kind of job their equality of payments must and have to be equal.
One’s beliefs do not change on crucial issues such as these as these are of fundamental beliefs.
This issue is not of a political nature but of a Just Cause.