Police, soldiers, unions and security

National security would not be affected in any way if police and army officers form part of a union, which as employees they have every right to do, according to the two largest trade unions.

Although the law lays down that police and army officers are not allowed to form part of a trade union, the General Workers' Union and the Union Ħaddiema Magħqudin insist that members of the security forces are still employees and should, therefore, enjoy the right of association.

In fact, in other countries, even in the EU, police and army personnel formed part of trade unions without adversely affecting national security, GWU general secretary, Tony Zarb said.

Obviously, certain parameters had to be set but unionisation was possible, he added.

The union last week called on the government to grant union rights, such as the right for collective bargaining, to members of the police and the army. The appeal was made after 1,473 police officers, including senior officers, filed a judicial protest against the Police Commissioner for unpaid overtime dating back to 1993.

Mr Zarb said the union was in contact with other European organisations to discuss how the officers could form part of a union. "Police officers want to form part of a union but are afraid to speak about it in public," he said.

Similarly, UĦM general secretary Gejtu Vella insisted that forming part of a trade union would not affect the country's security.

"It is the right of every person who gives a service to form part of a union," he argued.

In April, the UĦM invited Hermann Feiner, chairman of the European Police Union, for talks in Malta. During his two-day visit, Mr Feiner discussed the possible unionisation of the forces with Foreign Affairs Minister Tonio Borg, Police Commissioner John Rizzo and the chairman of the Malta Council for Economic and Social Development, Sonny Portelli.

Although Mr Vella said the Police Commissioner ruled out the possibility, Mr Portelli and Dr Borg said they were both open to discussing the idea.

Ray Arpa, from the Għaqda Dipendenti Suldati, an organisation bringing together soldiers' dependants, echoed Mr Zarb's words and said many soldiers wanted to form a union but feared declaring it publicly.

"We have been fighting for soldiers' basic rights so they would form part of a union. It is their basic right," he said.

The Maltese army is based on the English system, which does not allow soldiers to form part of a union.

The Scandinavian and Danish army, in contrast, had very powerful unions and, yet, they did not compromise the country's security, Mr Arpa said.

Similarly, Neville Muscat, from the Malta Police Association, said police officers felt the need to join a union, one that was in-house. This, he added, would not in any way affect the country's security.