Updated: Mepa union orders industrial action
Adds Mepa reaction:
The Mepa Professional Workers' Union (UPAP) has ordered industrial action over the redeployment of staff.
It said it had resorted to action after the government confirmed today that it intends to proceed with the transfer of staff under Article 15A of the ETC act - Redundancy and Redeployment.
"According to legal advice given to UPAP, the use of this article confirms that the employees in question are being made redundant. This goes against Article 33 of the Collective Agreement which requires redeployment to other sections within MEPA prior to redundancy." the union said.
It added that it had tried to resolve the issue without resorting to industrial actions but meetings with government representatives did not yield any results,
The union said it was directing its members not to have meetings with ministers and/or parliamentary secretaries; not to answer the phone or communicate by e-mail of fax, not to arrange new meetings with the public, consultants, architects and applicants and not to set new meetings with representatives of local councils, government departments and/or ministries.
They are also not to attend meetins abroad and not to process environmental registrations.
The UHM last month also ordered industrial action at the Authority over redeployments as part of the Mepa reform.
MEPA REACTION
In a reaction, Mepa said the government Government had decided that as part of the MEPA reform process currently underway, a number of non-core functions currently carried out by MEPA are to be transferred to the relative entities which are carrying out such functions.
"Discussions with unions on the redeployment of staff are currently being held. During these discussions, Government is reiterating its position that the employees currently carrying out these functions will be redeployed to the new entities, without losing any of the benefits they currently enjoy. Moreover, these employees are being offered the opportunity to apply for positions and promotions, both with MEPA and the receiving entity," the Authority said.
" It is therefore inexplicable why the UPAP has called for industrial action, more so when to date, the order for redeployment has not even been issued."
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re bel
Feb 23rd 2010, 08:39
@ Raymond Vella
Its Miss Bell, and actually I do happen to know the colour of the MEPA front gate!
I too happen to be a regular visitor, and call MEPA almost on a daily basis, as it is part of my job.
I speak facts as I know them, and am not influenced by other peoples comments. It is MY own opinion.
laurence schembri
Feb 23rd 2010, 08:12
Is it permanent?
Paul Borg
Feb 23rd 2010, 03:13
@ Raymond Vella - It sounds more like you don't know what its like at MEPA, not Renee Bell. My experience of the Front Desk is that some more than others they try to be difficult and self-important instead of helpful. It's like they're on a strike all year round!
G. Caruana
Feb 22nd 2010, 20:31
Great! JUST GREAT! We have been dealing with MEPA for the past 6 months to issue an approval for a simple permit - hassling us when they themselves mislead us on what type of documentation they need... etc... One employee says 'X', another says it is wrong and we should go with his advice 'Y', and they just don't know what hit them!!! Now let's see how long this will take! Really fed up and the worst part is we actually 'need' them to continue with the works :(
Silv. Cutajar
Feb 22nd 2010, 18:24
I hope that they are not being made redundant on purpose so that they can be posted with other government department and can retain their present exorbitant wages compared with those of the normal civil service personnel. Once again, It would be a gross injustice with the former EPD personnel that left for the civil service if this time round (as rumours around are) these so called redundant employees are given the opportunity to join again the general civil service. Way back in 2003 when the completely failed merger between the EPD and the former Planning Authority was taking place, some of them (mainly ex-EPD staff) did not choose to go in one of the government departments like others did. Intentionally they all were aiming for an increase in their wage and a promotion too. Seven years ago they had insisted to join MEPA because they were all brainwashed with the idea that in the civil service there is not the same work culture as in the MEPA. And the mediocre result is there for all to see. The merger was a complete flop. MEPA is now falling into pieces. What a shame !
Anthony Pace Gouder
Feb 22nd 2010, 18:09
@ Mhux billfors ' this government is crumbling and everyone distancing himself " meta dan qed jitmexxa minn TLIETA min nies ,biex ma nghidx anqas ! Id-deputy PM qiesu ma jezistix ! IL- Periti MPs lanqas juruh kemm qed jizbalja fil-Progetti ! Tal-finanzi jafas fuq il-gbir mill-POPLU ! Mank ixxom JEW JIPPROVA jrazzan il-hela ta Flus , infieq zejjed . Progett semplici jigi stmat il-Miljuni . Problemi fid-Dipartiment tas-Sahha . L-ISPTAR sar MATER DEI ... ORA PRO NOBIS . Il-Medicini gholjin , ikomplu JGHOLLU it-Kontijiet tad-Dawl . Nghollu wkoll ic-Cittazzjonijiet biex inlaqtu xi-haga .Permessi CONTROVERSJALI li kienu mizmuma mill-MEPA izjed minn-sena hargu a DETRIMENT tan-nies. II-kuntratt tal -Power Station ,ihawwad l-imhuh . Progetti li- kellhom jitwettqu snin ilu jissemmew u jintesew ! L- ewwel jaffghuha u wara jipprovaw jilaqghuwa ! Taparsi nikkunsultaw etc . ETC tfakkarni fit-12,000 ruh bla' Xoghol ! U HA NIEQAF HAWN GHAL-LUM . Jien hsibt li darba fl-EWROPA il-poplu jkun agevolat mit-Taxxi u l- Pajjiz jimxi l-quddiem minghajr xkiel . Kulltant nghid u nahseb ''ahna jew m'ahniex membri tal-EU ! Insomma , hawn , balbuljata shieha li qatt ma rajt bhala u mbghad jigi il-PM jghid kemm mixjin sew u ahna mill-ahjar fl-EWROPA .
A. Bugeja
Feb 22nd 2010, 17:56
Step one of the reform, probably.
david vella
Feb 22nd 2010, 17:55
Finally some real good news! Let's hope it takes a very long long long long long time! Anyway it's a useless administration, for the lower class mind me!!
Mark Borg
Feb 22nd 2010, 17:47
A. Zahra I think it's you yourself who should smell the coffee, this government is collapsing and I'm enjoying every minute of it. It is certainly filling up my long hours of unemployment due to this goverment's incompetence and favoritism wherre it concerns online gaming. Socialist systems? did I mention any socialist systems? I don't think so, however I believe in a democracy every employee has a right to know why he is made redundant. The only socialist system I am seeing is the Pm's staunch defence of illegal immigrants.
Raymond Vella
Feb 22nd 2010, 17:47
@Renee Bell.........Probably Mr.Bell,your are of a kind of person that you dont even know what colour is the main gate of mepa!!!!!!!......Probably you are judging from rumours that you have heard.For your information,I dont work at mepa but I do visit regurarly and thats why I dont agree with you.
c. camilleric
Feb 22nd 2010, 17:05
Now that the Govt is about to do something at Mepa after long being urged to reform Mepa now it is finding all this obstruction. It is about time that public employees be treated like private ones. Incidentally all the industrial actions we hear about only comes from the public sector while the private sector employees is careful not to loose their jobs. One hopes that this strike action will be accompanied pay cuts.
A. Zahra
Feb 22nd 2010, 17:03
@ Mark Borg You may not have smelt the coffee, but we no longer have a socialist system. As a result the day to day management of authorities, such as MEPA, paralstatal companies such as Airmalta etc. is now in the hands of their management not in those of God-like ministers and MPs. The days of Mintoff, Lorry Sant, KMB et al are long gone.
John Debattista
Feb 22nd 2010, 17:00
Hadd wara Hadd tasal ta Kulhadd..................
W Spencer
Feb 22nd 2010, 16:50
Typical !!! The only time that MEPA do take action.......its industrial action. Lets hope that they are as inefficient at their industrial action, as they are with their normal work.
Mark Borg
Feb 22nd 2010, 16:47
This government is crumbling. One by one everyone is distancing himself from it. So they can just send an article 15A and make people redundant without any reason just like that. Stinks of dictatorship rather than democracy and employee rights. Anyway Mepa Union you are welcome to join us on the nationwide protest.
re bel
Feb 22nd 2010, 16:33
u iva! its not like they get any work done anyways!
strike or no strike most of them are inconvenient all year round - especially the front desk!!