Malta’s General Workers Union (GWU) has ordered care workers at an elderly home in Mellieħa to not serve soup or any hot liquids for that matter, until health and safety risks are resolved.

The GWU has issued these directives to confront “various shortcomings” in occupational health and safety for these care workers of the Support Services company.

New food handling and distribution procedures have been introduced by Care Malta and according to the union, they represent a health hazard to both workers and residents, particularly in the case of hot liquid foods. This triggered the industrial action.

Union representatives, Support Services management, and workers were not consulted prior to the introduction of these new measures, the GWU’s Government and Public Entities Section said.

“The GWU attempted many a time to arrive at an agreement with Care Malta management, even setting up a meeting with the OHSA, as well representatives from Support Services Ltd, and the Ministry for Active Ageing, together with union representatives and workers,” the union argued.

“It was immediately made clear that the GWU’s demands on workers’ and residents’ safety were justified and that both workers and residents were at risk of burns. Support Services management insisted that workers had to be protected in their place of work and that no client could risk their health and safety.”

With no resolution to the impasse between both sides and with a report from Support Services Ltd’s health and safety officer not yet complete, the GWU had “no choice but to” issue directives until a solution is reached.

Do you agree with this industrial action?