Most lotto receivers were unable to work today after Maltco switched off their computer terminals because they failed to sign a new agreement on time. The old agreement expired yesterday.

The Lotto Receivers Union said that 180 lotto receivers were 'without work' because of the company's actions.

A court this morning provisionally upheld a union request to issue a warrant to stop Maltco from turning off the terminals. 

In the afternoon, however, the union said that despite the order, the company was continuing to refuse to resume the service before the receivers signed the new contract.

Maltco itself was given a new contract by the government last week.

The union urged its members not to give in to pressure, adding that it was open for talks, but not under the threat of having the service stopped.

A spokesman for the union said the new 10-year contract was being 'imposed' on the lotto receivers, who had only been given a few days to study it.

He said that the receivers were objecting to various new conditions. For example, they were being required to work exclusively for Maltco, and they were being required to achieve sales targets of €15,000 per month, something which was impossible for some of the receivers.  

Furthermore, commissions were being 'frozen' for 10 years.

In a statement issued in the afternoon, Maltco said that under the new licence it has been awarded for the next 10 years, the authorised outlets that will be selling the National Lottery Games are being uploaded on its website shortly.

http://www.maltco.com/maltco/pos.php