An agreement has been reached to stagger police overtime compensation payments over a number of years, but the government is yet to table its financial offer, this newspaper has learnt.
Sources told the Times of Malta that the Malta Police Association was holding out for an offer in the region of €30 million, but early soundings indicate the Finance Ministry was unwilling to match that amount.
The issue revolves around a 1993 collective agreement, which established a 46-hour week, beyond which officers have the right to claim overtime. However, this arrangement never came into force until, in 2009, the MPA filed a judicial letter on the issue.
Subsequently, in its 2013 general election manifesto, the Labour Party pledged to give “adequate” compensation to solve this saga once and for all.
Though several meetings were held with both the MPA, which has official recognition in the police force, and the Police Officers’ Union, the issue is still pending. The only tangible progress registered was in the 2017 Budget speech, when the government announced an €8 million fund to address past grievances.
Apart from police overtime payments, this money will go to resolve pending disputes with former port workers, Labour Corps employees of the 1970s and former Malta Electricity Board workers.
Asked about the state of play on this matter, Home Affairs Minister Carmelo Abela confirmed that his ministry had made a proposal to the Finance Ministry and it was waiting for feedback from the Exchequer.
“It has been agreed in principle with the unions that the compensation will be spread over a number of years,” he said.
Though he declined to give any details about the government’s offer, Mr Abela pointed out that “adequate” compensation did not mean the full amount, which is believed to be in excess of €50 million.
“There is a general agreement in principle that the compensation must not be above a certain amount, but for the time being, we must wait for the grievances fund board, proposed in the Budget for 2017, to be set up,” he said.
On their part, both unions said no formal offer had been tabled yet, but they said they would be willing to accept payments due over a number of years rather than in a lump sum.
Aggrieved officers who spoke with this newspaper on the condition of anonymity had a lukewarm response to the setting up of this grievances fund.
“While we welcome this measure, it could be little more than a drop in the ocean, considering that only a fraction of the €8 million sum will go to our cause. At this rate, it could take many years before we can get some sort of compensation,” they said.
Although no formal offer was made under the previous administration led by the Nationalist Party, an offer in the region of €10 million was considered at one point, but was rejected, as it was considered to be too low.
Nevertheless, the government subsequently changed its mind, in the wake of legal advice that the dispute had become time-barred and that there was no obligation, therefore, to pay compensation to the officers.
Further meetings between the unions and the ministry are scheduled after the festive season.