The Union Haddiema Maghqudin has objected to the message it said had been sent in an item appearing in The Times yesterday: that abolishing half-days in summer would save the government money on overtime payments to civil servants.

This information is "completely deceptive", the union said.

According to official documents seen by The Times, the summer overtime bill for the civil service amounted to Lm1.7 million last year and Lm2 million for the summer months of each of 2002 and 2001. Sources said the bill and the possible abolition of overtime would be on the agenda in talks with unions on the next collective agreement.

The UHM said Lm1.7 million bill was the total amount paid in overtime to all workers, including those who not work on the half-day system. They include those on a 24-hour shift system where some overtime has to be done to make good for the absence of professionals, such as in the health sector.

"The figure does not specify or quantify overtime done by government workers who are not on the half-day system," the union insisted, adding that these amounted to about 15,000, including policemen, soldiers and health workers.

It also noted that workers on summer half-days do an extra three and three-quarter hours of work in winter to make up.

The UHM said hours worked was a sensitive issue for workers as well as from the perspective of government finances because it could have implications of bigger financial outlay.