Nurses affiliated to the civil servants’ union PASYDY explicitly distanced themselves from their colleagues of the PASYNO union who are planning to go on strike next week.

Following union meetings held in all the cities, it was however also decided to engage the PASYNO nurses with a view to finding ‘common ground’.

In a statement, the PASYDY nurses said they are to date satisfied that the government will honour its commitment to satisfy their own demands, therefore they would hold up their end of the bargain and refrain from any industrial action.

The union said it would continue to monitor developments, adding that it expected the government pledges to be implemented before the House dissolves ahead of the legislative elections.

Independent nurses union PASYNO, accounting for about half of state hospital’s nursing staff, have announced an indefinite strike starting March 15.

On Monday, the overwhelming majority of PASYNO members voted in favour of going on strike to push their demand for degree-holding nurses to be placed in higher pay scales.

If the government agrees, it is estimated it would cost some €4 million for the first few years.

The health ministry said it has drawn up a contingency plan to deal with understaffing once the strike is underway, for example by referring patients to the private sector.