PM urged to intervene in police overtime issue
The Police Association has written to the Prime Minister protesting that the police are being treated worse than anybody else in the issue over overdue payment for overtime.
In a two-page letter bearing yesterday's date and issued today, the association noted that according to the 1993 salaries and conditions of service of the police, policemen were to be paid overtime at a rate of 1.5 times their rate of pay when they worked in excess of 46 hours per week and when time off in lieu could not be given.
Three arbiters nominated by the governemnt itself had said that this document 'is sacrosanct and should be strictly adhered to'.
The association said that after having filed two judicial protests, talks were started with the Ministry of Justice and Home Affairs with a view of achieving an out of court settlement.
However the minister and his officials were dragging their feet. They had not contributed anything to the talks and no meeting had been held since May, despite the association's requests.
The association said that should the minister not want to reach agreement, it would be better if his intention was made clear so that it could seek an alternative course of action.
However it deeply regretted the government's attitude, not least because the members of the police force were already under paid in relation to their duties and the risks which they entailed.
The association said it suspected that this attitude stemmed form the fact that policemen were not represented by a trade union and could not take the sort of actions which trade unions took. Should that be the case, this would amount to unacceptable abuse.
The association said policemen deserved better, and it therefore called on the prime minister to intervene in the matter.
The letter was signed by legal adviser Robert Abela.
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Mr Tony Camilleri
Jul 13th 2011, 00:23
Għarukaza li l-pulizija ma jitħallsux tas-ahra dawk is-snin kollha meta suppost li jitħallsu mhux aktar mix-xahar ta' wara meta jaqbdu s-salarju li jkun imiss.
Imma issa jidher li qed toqrob l-elezzjoni u se naraw kif nagħmlu anki jekk ma nagħtuhomx kollox.
Ms Rose Cilia
Jul 12th 2011, 17:05
Ghall-kapricci ghandna flus imma biex inhallsu lil pulizija ta' l-overtime li haddmu m'hawnx flus !
D. A . Agius
Jul 12th 2011, 16:57
Good Luck. I have a personal case where the Police Board came to the conclusion that the Police Administration discriminated against me and even lied, in writing, to me.
But then, the Police Board again decided by some perverse logic (and against all facts) that I should be owed 1/4th of what I was entitled to.
Over two years later than this decision, the Police Commissioner has not even settled this 1/4th and then the dear MP Edwin Vassaallo, who chairs the Social Affairs Parliamentary Committee only came up with a suggestion for me to take the case to court if I want to get paid.
Which obviously I can't because the Police and the Police Board spent 4 years toying with paper and something else I can't write here.
It's a simple case of discrimination, which I attributed to the Police Commissioner being directly responsible. I've said this time and time again, as since I haven't received any summons, I guess he doesn't even dare open a libel case.
That's why they don't want a Police Union. Because without a Union they can hide behind different fronts (such as the Police Board)..
brian spiteri
Jul 12th 2011, 16:12
@ police force
Sorry guys, but there is no money in the kitty!!!
Charles Micallef
Jul 12th 2011, 15:19
It is high time that the Police are treated with more respect and equate their grades with civil servants grades when it comes to pay and conditions, they are long overdue, they work a fifty unsociable hours week for a forty hour pay!
Maria Zammit
Jul 12th 2011, 15:01
Dear Police Association,
Don't you know that the PM (money no problem) only has money to increase his and his minister's salaries and to bail out foreign countries?
Kulhadd jaf jiffanfra minn but ħaddieħor u kollox qed jikkrolla f'daqqa waħda! Veru ħaqqhom żjieda... veru ma jafux xi tkun mistħija!
A. Falzon
Jul 12th 2011, 14:58
Yes Police Officers are not paid enough for there work. In 1988 I was paid only Lm166 gross after tax and n.i. I recieved Lm125 a month. Conditions and pay were improved in 1993, but that's not enough. Time in lieu still exsists :). Xoghol 'Gustizzja' u Liberta I used to here. Justice should be done with Police Officers.