A "populist" proposal to not pay workers for their first day of sick leave would unduly punish genuinely sick employees and was "not acceptable by any standard," the bankers' union has said. 

In a statement, the Malta Union of Bank Employees slammed employers' lobby group the Malta Employers Association for raising the idea, with MUBE saying the MEA was "shooting from the hip". 

The MEA made the controversial proposal yesterday, saying business owners were being taken for a ride by unscrupulous workers who abused of sick leave allowances. Its proposal to not pay employees for their first day of sick leave was immediately shot down by the General Workers' Union, which said it would not accept any reduction in sick leave conditions. 

READ: Unpaid sick leave, drug tests at work and other MEA suggestions

Other ways of stopping abuse - MUBE

In a statement issued this afternoon, MUBE also distanced themselves from the proposal. Abuse of sick leave, the union said, should be handled in line with respective collective agreements, or in the absence of that by house rules in line with the law. 

The MEA's proposal, MUBE said, "defeats the whole scope of a planned approach." 

"Planned approaches need mature debate, dialogue and a lot of common sense," the union added. "Employers should invest in quality work and decent work ethic whilst providing healthy working environments should be top priority." 

Employers say they want to cut down on workers abusing of sick leave entitlements. Photo: Shutterstock