Brussels take member states to court over pay rise

C. Borg

Jan 8th 2010, 12:27

@ N. Lawrence

Using your same logic and judging by your posts (e.g. link below), you should leave Malta.

http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20100107/local/malta-ranks-high-in-quality-of-life-league

C. Borg

Jan 8th 2010, 12:19

S. Aquilina .... jahasra .....

That link you posted quotes the salaries of 2002.

In 2004, just weeks before Malta joined the EU, the salaries and grading system was revised and changed and salaries are much lower. Other employees doing exactly the same job but employed before 2004 earn thousands more than Maltese employees.

A large portion of maltese working in brussels for eu institutions earn approximately 2500 euros (including allowances) .... a modest salary considering the cost of living.

s aquilina

Jan 8th 2010, 11:16

http://www.mpo.gov.mt/eu_salaries.html

h galea

Jan 8th 2010, 09:30

Watch out boys, hope it wont be the start of a break up of EU,who are the ones, find out their objective.Nothing happens for nothing.

N. Lawrence

Jan 8th 2010, 05:18

@C. Borg

If the passengers on the gravy train don't like what's on the menu, they can always get off.

C Zammit

Jan 7th 2010, 21:46

For the second time, the Times does not present the TRUE picture. The 3.7% is NOT A PAY RISE. It is a cost-of-living adjustment (indexation) based on inflation in Brussels and on the salary increases of civil servants in 8 EU member states. It is calculated backdated on prices/salary increases which occured between July 2008 and July 2009. During this period inflation in Brussels was nearly 6%, therefore an indexation of 3.7% is actually a loss in purchasing power. Civil servants in EU states (including Malta) received their indexation immediately whilst EU civil servants receive it 18 months later. This method of indexation was agreed with the Unions in 2004 and is the equivalent of a Collective Agreement with the Unions. It was agreed to by the Council, so it has a legal basis.

As C. Borg says, the exact comparison would be if the Maltese government decided not to pay the COLA to Government employees. What would the unions say, I wonder??

Mentioning an increase of €8000 for Commissioners is pure sensationalism – it’s like quoting the salary of the Permanent Secretary or even the Prime Minister, in order to imply that ALL government employees are extremely well-paid.

C. Borg

Jan 7th 2010, 18:16

@ all commentators:

This article and related articles are biased.

Not only are figures bloated and unaccurate, but many facts are not mentioned, such as the inflation in Belgium, additional deductions from salaries starting from January 2010, Belgian private and government employee salary adjustments (they got more than 3,7% to compensate for the rise in cost of living), deduction from childrens allowance and other allowances.

It's all relative. 3.7% is being thrown in readers faces when they are only familiar with the maltese economy. If they had to see the whole picture the readers would realise that 3.7% is readily absorbed by the rise in rent alone.

This is exactly comparable to what would happen if the government were to decide not to pay the COLA.

Is this newpaper so much threatened by competition that it needs to stoop so low and sensationalize this issue?

c. camilleri

Jan 7th 2010, 17:25

It is a shame that while all Europeans workers are asked to make sacrifices because of the recession, European staff members are giving themselves a hefty increase on their already huge pay. Is this the Europe that many had hoped for. It seems that the fat cats of our European never have enough.

N.Lawrence

Jan 7th 2010, 16:38

@grace cassar

How many of us NOT on the E.U. gravy train can ever hope to see a 3.7% pay rise?

grace cassar

Jan 7th 2010, 16:13

@ N. Lawrence.
What we are asking for is the inflation rate. I have a daughter at University for which we have to pay and a son in secondary school. We so not get grants as in Malta for a university student, we have to pay for the lodging as well as the books and tution. Renting or buying a place is also very expensive. So think before you write a comment. Brussels is quite expensive to live and when you live here and have children it is not always easy.

Joe Tabone-Adami

Jan 7th 2010, 15:39

"I'm only here for the beer" does not apply only to the bar-pianist, it seems, does it!!

N.Lawrence

Jan 7th 2010, 13:05

Typical of the EU gravy train.

Bang in the middle of a recession and they give themselves big payrises- money no problem?