The Union of Clerical, Administrative and Supervisory Employees (UCASE) says several public dental surgeons reported sick this morning, over the government’s continued delay in implementing a 2024 agreement affecting their employment status.

UCASE warned last week of industrial action if government failed to fix some employment status errors.

The dispute centres on a side letter agreement signed on October 8, 2024, which was intended to correct an employment anomaly, where registered dental surgeons were employed as Dental Intern 2 instead of Dental Surgeon 1.

UCASE says this delays proper pay and career progression, among other things.

UCASE President, Vincent Morrison says the union recently received responses from regional health authorities, but there has still been no reply from the Ministries of Health or Finance – both central to resolving the matter.

He describes the responses received so far as unsatisfactory.

Mr. Morrison warns that if a satisfactory response is not received by next week, dental surgeons across the affected regions may escalate industrial action.

Meanwhile, the union continues to demand the re-engagement of officers whose contracts are ending or have already ended and calls for the post-creation exercise to be completed promptly, ensuring all affected officers, including Dental Intern Ones who have since qualified, are included.