Updated: Lotto booths closed as contract dispute comes to a head
File photo.
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
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A Abela
Jul 6th 2012, 09:17
This from the Greek who 8 years ago said that 'Maltese people are from mars'....what about the Greeks?!?!?! also this Greek should note that lotto receivers are self employed so why these targets? new conditions? etc????
william cauchi
Jul 6th 2012, 09:10
You know what i think, i think that it has been a bad day for the lotto receivers, but a fantastic day for the rest of us.
Why? With the lotto receivers closed, quite a few hundred thousand euro remained in our pockets to be spent on more important and essential things. After all the winnings are only a very small part of the actual amounts played.For every one winner there a a thousand losers.
What about the poor lotto receivers you would say? Lets compensate them like we did with the old bus owners and close this festering public money drain that is only there to fatten Maltco's and the government's pockets.
Dream on........
Victor Vella
Jul 6th 2012, 08:20
No. Is the PL in power? For the PN yes. Because the illusion of the PN usually is the party of consultants. It seems that the wrath of arrogance and hot hotheadedness have now turned to the illusionist GonziPN. No. I think that some purge in the PN is essential and can be a protracted one. God bless lil din l-art helwa!!!!!
Mr C Galea
Jul 6th 2012, 07:23
Quite frankly is a 10 year agreement not UNACCEPTABLE in any modern day society due to constant changes within society and the I T world and the way business is done?So could this be a truly bad deal and a truly bad monopoly that makes "how to do modern day business in Malta look like a joke"? Should the goverment here not intervene and rectify this ? One could start with the idea of two five year contracts up for grabs respectfully, one now and one in 5 years.
Mr Michael Mifsud
Jul 5th 2012, 23:39
I have a point to make about these poor Lotto Receivers, who, by the way, have been regular victims of hold-ups, living in danger, in service of their "employer"... These workers were always considered to be self-employed. In my view, and according to the recent updates in Employment Law in Malta, these people are NOT self-employed. They are normal employees of Maltco. Hence they should enjoy the rights and obligations of normal employees on an indefinite term employment relationship. Hence Maltco cannot simply impose new terms and conditions, that would not respect such rights and obligations. This needs to be investigated. If this is the case then either Maltco retracts its position or these Lotto Receivers would be allowed to claim unfair dismissal at the Industrial Tribunal. It would be interesting to see which option Maltco would then go for...
DR EMMANUEL BEZZINA,MA,MAG.JUR.[EU Law],LL.D.,
Jul 5th 2012, 22:20
ATTACK TO SURVIVE BRETHERN AS THESE SOCIAL BULLYING OVERLORDS ARE FATTENING THEMSELVES WITHIN THE INNER CIRCLES TO THE DETRIMENT OF THE PROLETERIAT.
A.f Ellul
Jul 5th 2012, 21:07
Nobody is realizing that Malta becomes slavery of foreigners, DO you know why? Because Malta has remove the 8th September from the National day. We remove our Holy Mother as a Protection from our Island; The Three heads of Malta didn’t want to hear the word 8th September as a National DAY. Now, Malta is at the base if the sea as bankrupt and the next slavery. No one of you can save Malta from the disaster that is it and the great is coming.
Dave Alan Caruana
Jul 5th 2012, 20:56
seems that Maltco is on an extended winning streak, at the cost of everyone else involved. May their odds be always favourable!
cesco di luigi
Jul 5th 2012, 20:07
Before EFA came to the throne in 1987 it was rammed down out throats that monopolies were no good for the people...this was further confirmed when with toungue wagging like a lap dog he pushed for EU membership....Now the country is dominated by rich monopolies...prosit eh PN vera ta min jafdakhom!!!
vella m
Jul 5th 2012, 19:55
Everything this government is doing seems to be making money for the rich.Workers unite.
Renato Griscti
Jul 5th 2012, 21:11
Hi Mr. Vella,
The workers are united and this issue has nothing to do with the government.
The issue is between the Lotto receivers and Maltco
Barney Camilleri
Jul 5th 2012, 18:36
What is all this fuss about?
I am sorry to say but gambling was, is, and remain found in a lot of places, be they near corner streets, coffee shops, band/sport/bocci and other form of clubs. There is almost always a room where it is not easy to be raided where those that gamble enjoy loosing their family money. This is only another way how to kill legal revenue and legally employed workers in this business.
Thanks again for a job well done to today's authorities.
Renato Griscti
Jul 5th 2012, 19:01
Does this mean that you are in favour of illegal gambling ???
Mr Colin Schembri
Jul 5th 2012, 17:23
Great timing eh...il-Hamis wara li n-nies laghbet u nefqet fis-super 5!! X'arroganza ta' kumpannija...u min jaqla l-ghixien tieghu minn hawn x'se jaghmel...tibqghux tittrattawna hekk...jew dabbru raskhom...eh ma jistawx ghax il-gvern takom li ridthu.
GL Calleja
Jul 5th 2012, 17:23
How do you expect us to win or lose if we cannot gamble. On the other hand, save us all some money and keep these lotto booths closed down. What a waste of money.
Claire Buttigieg
Jul 6th 2012, 08:22
What is a waste of money for you Sur Calleja has been the daily bread and butter for my family and other 180 families in Malta! If you want to save your money and spend it in other futile things like cigarettes and alcohol amongst other things you are free to do so..no one is telling you not to. As far as I know we live in a free country and everyone is entitled to spend his fairly earned money as he wishes!!!! Ma nparlawx min fjn ma jarax dawl pls..
Mr Michael Debono
Jul 5th 2012, 17:20
Foreigners do as they like. Gonzipn and Fenech seem not to careless what happens in a monopoly. They should either respect the law and court sentence or the Government ought to kick them out.Wedo nott need foreign money makers paricularly Greeks.The Reaction of the people ought to be "do not play for a certain period until the Foreigner comes to his senses.
simon ellul sullivan
Jul 5th 2012, 17:20
Wayne its also called an employer... You don't like it work for someone else.... How dare the employees expect to be allowed to work for someone else!!!!????!!???? Or not agree to performance targets! It's called work !
Renato Griscti
Jul 5th 2012, 18:58
Simon, target requested cannot be reached by every lotto booth. That is the issue.
A Abela
Jul 6th 2012, 09:27
most lotto receivers are self employes!
marco caruana
Jul 5th 2012, 17:10
l arroganza tal privat !! biex ma nsemmux it tnaqqis regolarment fil lottu
Alfred Cassar
Jul 5th 2012, 17:06
Gambling is a disease, dear Lotto receivers, isn't there any thing in this world , other than legally 'handle' people's salaries for a percentage?
J Borg
Jul 5th 2012, 17:24
Can you offer another job with a suitable pay for all the lotto receivers? If no, then please carry on with your work, there is no need for any stupid comments at a time where 180 persons are in risk of losing their job. Every person is entitled to work and feed his family, don't you agree? Lotto receivers are doing nothing immoral, as you are implicitly saying.
Alfred Zammit
Jul 5th 2012, 18:10
Dear MR WISEGUY/Alfred Cassar: Have you just landed on Malta? Didn't you ever hear of clandestine gambling (it is mostly based on lotto, on superfive, and on sporting events)? In case you're not in the know, then I tell you that it's a local industry which dwarfs the official lotto. The official side is the regulated one to see that as much as possible revenue is channeled into the right places (more or less; definitely not in the current happenings).
Matthew Polidano
Jul 5th 2012, 18:51
Alfred Cassar-Jekk ghandek xi xoghol tajjeb ghalija dont worry intik il-telephone u cempilli. Skont kif qed titkellem anke minn xi ibiegh fxi gabbana tal-festi jaghmel hazin ghas-sahha,minn ibigh il-helu hazin ukoll, tal-pastizzi hazin ukoll u l-lista tkompli......
Deo Catania
Jul 5th 2012, 18:57
Nonsense. How much does a packet of cigarettes cost? most smokers buy a packet every single day.....costs much more than buying one or two weekly Super5 tickets or Saturday's Lotto draw.
Renato Griscti
Jul 5th 2012, 19:06
Alfred, if gambling is a disease, it is a legally approved disease.
180 families live on this disease.
R Axisa
Jul 6th 2012, 05:52
Alfred Cassar - even becoming an alcoholic is a disease! But it's sold in all corners of the world!
GEORGE S DARMANIN
Jul 6th 2012, 06:29
What does this has to do with the situaution?
Maltco is not closed and it may open as many lotto shops as it wants. So closing down the self employed lotto booths does not change anything.
Alexander Pace Gouder.
Jul 5th 2012, 17:01
MALTCO - Came on switch the machines on again WITHOUT FURTHER DELAY. You have won the tender now so give your loyal Lotto receivers their DAILY BREAD and let them continue their work and do not impose and make life difficult for the Lotto receivers who cannot reach your Target of Euro15,000 Sales per month. Another thing whilst at it: Hope DEAR MALTCO THAT YOU WILL NOT CONTINUE TO DEDUCT FROM WINNING AMOUNTS WHEN THERE ARE A GOOD NUMBER OF WINS . WHEN THE WINS ARE LESS YOU DO NOT INCREASE PRICE WINS MHUX HEKK. IT SEEMS FOR YOU ITS ONE WAY TRAFFIC ONLY - IN IN IN IN.
Renato Griscti
Jul 5th 2012, 21:21
Hi Alex, do not beg them.
We Maltese never died of hunger and our country always had the balls to cater for our needs.
They are giving their competitors the chance for more illegal gambling.
wayne scicluna
Jul 5th 2012, 16:58
The word MONOPOLY certainly comes to mind.....
Alfred Zammit
Jul 5th 2012, 17:58
In case someone didn't notice Neville is being sarcastic - AND RIGHTLY SO!!!
Alfred Zammit
Jul 5th 2012, 18:00
INDEED - this is a monpoly blessed and sanctioned by "the authorities"! Let's hope at least the courts do not stand any more defiance.
Gordon Farrugia
Jul 5th 2012, 18:41
it is my opinion as well and i've expressed it several times. THIS IS AN ILLEGAL MONOPOLY SANCTIONED BY OUR GOVERNMENT. What is ironic is that our government pretends other countries to give us access to their markets [aka EU, freedom of movement]
Neville Vella
Jul 5th 2012, 16:51
Thanks for your support Hon Tonio Fenech!!!!!
Edgar Apap
Jul 5th 2012, 17:06
Shame On Gonzi PN .The Rich Get Richer And The Poor Get Poorer .
A. Schembri
Jul 5th 2012, 19:47
true that Edgar is called Elitism...something the pn has embraced to the full
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