The government’s claim that it is working on regulations to grant policemen and civil security officers union representation has not impressed the two major trade unions, which say such talk has been going on for years.
Union Ħaddiema Magħqudin general secretary Ġejtu Vella and his counterpart at the General Workers’ Union, Tony Zarb, said the government had long been saying it was working on the necessary legislation.
Both Mr Vella and Mr Zarb said they would “believe it when they see it” and insisted security officers were being deprived of the right to be represented in talks on their work conditions and salary.
As things stand, police and security officers are barred from forming or joining a union by law. Over the past years, they have voiced their concerns as they feel their rights are not being protected and it is time the law is amended.
The UĦM last week again urged the government to grant police officers, soldiers, civil protection officers and prison warders the right to join a trade union.
When approached on the matter, a government spokesman said: “The government is drafting the required legislation/regulations to give current in-house associations of disciplined forces adequate representation while maintaining the current ban on the possibility to strike.”
The Malta Police Association had said in the past it was not opposed to having restrictions on the right to strike.
Mr Vella pointed out his union had been putting pressure on the authorities to grant the right to join a union for about two years.
On May 1, 2010, the union had sent a letter to Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi insisting that the officers should be offered the possibility of joining a union. However, 13 months later, the union had only received an acknowledgement and no reply. He said the officers should have the right to join their preferred trade union and not necessarily form part of an in-house association.
Mr Zarb said legal amendments could either allow officers to join a union or empower in-house associations to affiliate themselves with a union.
On May 24, the police association wrote to Dr Gonzi pointing out that police officers were still being denied the right to join a union. It said it had not yet received a reply.