A history of doctors’ strikes in Malta: 2009, 2001, 1977

Doctors have not been known to strike often in Malta, unlike their counterparts in other industries. With the one-day outpatient strike and work-to-rule directives taking place today, The Malta Independent takes a look into the history of doctors’ strikes in Malta.

While not many have taken place over the years, there were three particular occasions when doctors called a strike to varying degrees. Over the years, minor action has been taken; however, none that could be called a fullblown strike.

Back in 2009, under a Nationalist government, doctors called a one-day strike over issues of a shortage of doctors leading to poor working conditions. The dispute was made worse due to a public spat with then-Social Policy Minister John Dalli.

In 2001, doctors called a sixweek strike over issues surrounding continued medical education throughout doctors’ careers. The issue concerned the quality of education and time being allotted to further training.

The largest and most notorious strike took place in 1977, when doctors held a 10-year strike after Dom Mintoff’s Labour government made it mandatory for doctors to spend two years working in the public health care sector in order to receive their medical warrant. Many foreign doctors had to be brought in to fill the gaps created when many local doctors left the island to seek opportunities abroad. It was during this troubled time that one of the most infamous murders in Maltese history – that of Karin Grech – took place.