All Employment and Industrial Relations Tribunal chairmen were asked to resign by the Government but no one has been confirmed or told to leave, The Sunday Times of Malta has learnt.
The list of pending cases is climbing
As a result, the chairmen are in limbo, not knowing whether to proceed with new cases or await their confirmation or otherwise.
Sources said members of the Malta Council for Economic and Social Development were not consulted on the appointments, as is the norm.
When contacted, a spokes-man for the Social Dialogue Ministry confirmed that all chairmen had been asked to resign when the Labour Administration took over.
He also confirmed that none of them had been confirmed in their positions or told their services were no longer required.
“According to standard practice, members of boards or committees are normally asked to submit their resignations following a change in government,” he said.
Sources close to social partners complained of the uncertainty this lack of decisiveness was causing for their organisations.
“The chairmen are reluctant to start new cases and the list of pending cases is climbing.
“We cannot have an Employment and Industrial Relations Tribunal that is not functioning and cases cannot take forever to be decided, because people’s livelihoods are on the line,” one of the social partners said when contacted.
But the ministry spokesman denied that the tribunal is not functioning. He said cases were being heard as usual. The number of pending cases currently stands at 557.
He also said the Government intended to consult social partners on the new chairmen.
“The appointments will be made in line with the Employment and Industrial Relations Act. The appointment of chairmen is normally made by the Prime Minister after consultation with MCESD,” he said.
When contacted, one Industrial Tribunal chairman – who spoke on condition of anonymity – said he, like other chairmen, was holding back on hearing new cases because there was a risk he would be asked to leave halfway through.
Thirteen chairmen currently preside over the Employment and Industrial Tribunal.
Since winning the March general election, the Labour government has been criticised for the manner in which it has replaced board members and chairmen on several of its entities.