Strike out
Partit Demokratiku said in a statement it notes with concern the increased incidence of threatened or actuated industrial action within the civil service, in particular the health and education departments. Teachers, social workers, pharmacists, nurses and doctors; people not known for their militancy, on the contrary, professionals associated with sacrifice, altruism and vocation, are up in arms. The question must be asked, why?
The doctors struck because of a lack of consultation on the Vitals/Stewards concession transfer. They plan to escalate their action.
The Partit Demokratiku’s Opposition notes that this concession is not quite privatisation like the operation of a casino - but a 'service contract'. Under public procurement rules, especially the Gozo General Hospital and Karin Grech Hospital are required to continue to provide essential services to the public. This denotes bad governance.
The pharmacists did the same over concerns on supplies of medicines, poor career structure, the lack of rotation of roles for newly qualified pharmacists. In their case agreement has not been forthcoming because of reticence from the Prime Minister's office and the minister concerned.
A strike by the nurses at Gozo General Hospital over theatre rosters was avoided at the last minute due to last minute talks between them and Minister of Health Chris Fearne.
A similar action was threatened at Mater Dei Hospital due to the severe shortage of operation theatre nurses. More have now been promised.
Social workers went on a weeks long strike over better working conditions and a new collective agreement.
Only a court injunction stopped the teachers at MCAST from starting industrial action over the failure to conclude a collective agreement.
The rest of the teachers are angry at what has proved to be a much less attractive pay package increase than they were led to believe.
Our country’s economy is red hot yet the people who provide the most essential services to our society - health, education, and social welfare - are being left out in the cold. The government is reacting to pressure, not thinking pro-actively on how to improve working conditions and practises without having its arm twisted. People who once considered their wage adequate are now feeling the pinch- they are being left behind. More energy seems to be spent handing out lucrative deals to big business than supporting those that hold up the foundations of our society. We boast of a budget surplus yet penny pinch on essentials.
PD urges the government to get its priorities right and start serving the country, not being of service to the chosen few.