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| TOP NEWS | Sunday, 12 August 2007 Forget the bedpans, let’s talk travel plans… The General Workers’ Union official who ordered 900 nursing aides to go on strike, leaving bed-ridden patients with nobody to look after them, was busy planning his private holiday in the midst of the crisis that crippled Malta’s hospitals. In fact, he called off the strike just in time to pack his bags. It was only after MaltaToday sought the GWU secretary general’s comments about his secretary’s holiday, and after the strike was reactivated late on Friday evening, that Louis Marsh chose to cancel his travel plans.
Section Secretary Louis Marsh suspended industrial action after six days of confrontation with the health ministry over the working conditions of nursing aides, shifting all the burden of attending to patients onto nurses and forcing government to farm out hospital services as hundreds of patients were left in their beds in the stifling heat. The suspension did not last long as the same directives are back in force since Friday. But MaltaToday confirmed that Marsh had his holiday in mind when calling off the industrial action, insisting with the health division that he could not hold meetings with authorities between 13 and 26 August. In fact, he was supposed to be abroad tomorrow on a private vacation. By calling off the union’s directives, Marsh finally obtained a meeting with the health division on Friday, in line with the precondition set by the government since the beginning of industrial actions. “He knew about this condition from budged one inch during the six days of industrial action, so I can’t see any reason why he called off the directives all of a sudden after leaving so many patients to suffer,” sources said. Now, all lie in hope waiting for the outcome of any meetings the union might still have with the government. Until then, patients and nurses alike will not be receiving any help from their colleagues until further notice. Marsh may have foreseen a turbulent trip, were he to leave the islands and nursing aides behind until his return. History does have a tendency to repeat itself, though. Last year, the General Workers’ Union experienced a crisis involving dozens of resignations in response to insults and demeaning behaviour towards section secretaries Emmanuel Zammit, Josephine Attard Sultana and Karmenu Vella, along with other colleagues, whilst GWU secretary general Tony Zarb cruised around the Norwegian fjords as waters back in Malta were becoming a bit choppy. However, this year the same Zarb will “definitely remain in Malta,” adding: “I do not know anything about anyone going abroad.” The secretary general may have been unaware of Marhs’s plans, but the union’s section secretary Louis Marsh was nonetheless going to be flying or sailing off to an undisclosed destination tomorrow. When asked where he was planning to enjoy his vacation away from the stressful burden of leading nursing aides in and out of action, Marsh replied, “That is our business, not yours.” A somewhat more polite reply, in comparison to the harsh “Leave us alone” given by Zarb last year. Yesterday evening, however, Marsh said he had called off his vacation and was available for talks with the government “at any time”.
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NEWS | Sunday, 12 August 2007 PN support in Gozo in free-fall Bortex fires Maltese, hires Chinese Forget the bedpans, let’s talk travel plans… ‘Our pharmacy licences are now safe and more valuable than ever’ AFM calls off search for missing migrants Musicians give hope to immigrants Mangion stands by Pender Place sale Mangion stands by Pender Place sale European gays appoint Maltese activist as policy officer Ostreopsis not an alien species Rockers, relax – cult programme will be back MMA official bluffed with junior to corrupt him Mistake paves way for Marsa hazardous waste incinerator PBS schedule ‘turned into auction’ UTV fracas: Former director to sue priest for libel To Gozo, and beyond Rector wants a ‘Gozitan Lourdes’ in Ta’ Pinu The road to Smart City – over 600m of tarmac through arable land |