Another call for disciplinary forces to be granted right to join a union

The General Workers’ Union and the Malta Police Association are again calling on the authorities to grant disciplinary forces the right to join a union.

They questioned why police and army officers and members of the Civil Protection Department were still unable to become members of a union if there was consensus on the matter.

In a meeting with the association, GWU general secretary Tony Zarb yesterday appealed to the authorities to resolve the issue as soon as possible, especially since there was consensus between the government and the opposition on the matter.

He said that in a recent meeting attended also by Justice Minister Carmelo Mifsud Bonnici, Police Commissioner John Rizzo, and opposition justice spokesman Michael Falzon, no one spoke against granting such right.

Mr Zarb said the GWU was prepared to assist and even offered the police association the opportunity to join as an associate member.

A number of people working in detention centres, most of whom were former policemen, joined the GWU last week, he said.

Police Association president Dennis Agius said the association had long been calling for status as a union and had given up the right to strike. The association had meetings with the government and the opposition but despite a consensus nothing was being done to unionise the disciplined forces.

The meeting continued behind closed doors.