An intervention from Health Minister Chris Fearne in a union meeting has led to the suspension of industrial actions.

“On 10th August, UĦM Voice of the Workers had released a number of industrial actions to Allied Health Professional due to t the fact that there had been no developments in negotiations,” the union said in a statement this event.

“Now that there has been a development, the UĦM, as a sign of goodwill, is suspending these industrial actions for two weeks with the aim that a better agreement is found.”

The UĦM had urged industrial actions in light of a long-standing pay dispute with authorities that has been going on for three years. Their actions had including a number of healthcare professionals, including audiologists, occupational therapists, dental hygienists, dental technologists, biomedical scientists, physiotherapists, speech-language pathologists, radiographers, and podiatrists.

These professionals, who work in government hospitals and health centres, were instructed to only carry out emergency services until the issue is resolved. These actions do not apply to COVID-19 testing centres.

The union is set to allow two weeks for the government to propose a better agreement. If it is not seen to have done so by then, the union has the power to restart industrial actions.

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