The Malta Police Association would form a truly independent union to continue to safeguard the interests of its members once the proposed legislative changes come into force, it said this evening.

In a statement, the association welcomed the proposed changes which it said would give policemen and members of other disciplinary forces the right to join a union.

This, it said, was a right it had been fighting for since 2002. Set up in 1955, the association said it had been the only voice so far to speak up for the rights of policemen and had managed to acquire for them increases in allowances and better conditions of work. It had also made several requests which were still pending.

These included that policemen should work a 40-hour week and that they should benefit from a reduced income tax rate.

The association said it had fought on its own but successfully for the right for policemen to be paid for overtime and was currently negotiating with the government the liquidation of payment due to its members.

It had led, on its own, in arbitration and in court, procedures to safeguard this right of payment for its members.

All this showed that the association, whose members and officials were solely policemen who worked for the good of other officers, was in the best position to understand the nature and special character of police work and had always placed the interests of its members first and foremost. This it would continue to do.

The association said it would be informing the European Council of Police Trade Unions with whom it enjoyed exclusive recognition at an international level of this development.

The association's statement came in the wake of the the formation of a new police union affiliated to the General Workers Unions this morning.

The announcement was made by GWU secretary general Tony Zarb during a news conference.

In a statement this evening the Nationalist Party said this amounted to political interference (see statement below).

Mr Zarb said that discussions were underway for the creation of other unions for soldiers, civil protection department employees, detention officers and prison warders.

The conference was also addressed by Inspector Sandro Camilleri, the head of the police legal office, who will be the union's president.

Home Affairs Minister Manuel Mallia last Wednesday announced a Bill which would grant members of disciplined corps the right to enrol in a trade union. However, they would not be allowed to strike.

Mr Zarb stressed that even though the Police Officers Union will be affiliated to the GWU, it would still be autonomous.

He said that this form of arrangement would be similar to that of the Taxis Union, which was also affiliated to the GWU. Mr Zarb said police officers would be able to join as soon the Bill became law.

Mr Zarb said the law would grant members of disciplined corps the right to seek redress in the industrial tribunal, to have a say in their collective agreement and to file their case in the joint negotiating council.

He said that until the Bill was published he would not be in a position to comment further on what additional rights would be granted.

However, he warned that the union would not allow changes to the police working hours and shifts without being consulted.

UĦM statement

The Union Ħaddiema Maghqudin said in a statement this evening that it was never requested to submit its proposals for a police union.

It said that it would not hide behind any in-house union and policemen who really wanted to join an impartial union without any political ties or interference had no option but to join the UĦM.

PN in favour of union membership for disciplinary forces but against political interference

PN spokesman Jason Azzopardi said in a statement the Nationalist Party was in favour of the giving members of disciplinary forces the right of association and had presented a bill proposing union membership for such bodies in 2011. The bill had been opposed by the Labour Opposition.

However, it was against partisan politics in the implementation of the right, which was inevitable with the General Workers’ Union’s proposal aimed at giving the union an advantage in representation of such forces. The Prime Minister was choosing the inner circle even in this field, he said.

Dr Azzopardi said it was hypocritical of the minister to say that he wanted disciplinary forces to have their own union when under his administration more than 500 transfers had already been given in the police force.

Such hypocrisy could also be seen when one considered that the minister was denying the Ombudsman the right to investigate the injustices he implemented, Dr Azzopardi said.