Police officers' fundamental rights are being "blatantly abused" by the government's decision to shelve a new sectoral agreement until next year, the Malta Police Association said today. 

In a statement, the MPA expressed surprise that Home Affairs Minister Michael Farrugia had been quoted in the media as saying that the new agreement would be sorted next year. 

"The minister could at least have informed the unions concerned first, rather than them having to find out that their workers' rights were being postponed until 2018," the MPA said. 

QUESTION TIME: Has police reform worked?

It accused the government of taking advantage of the fact that the law precluded police unions from undertaking industrial action, putting off talks without having to fear the consequences. 

Union representatives have been negotiating with the government since March this year. Among the MPA's key demands is that a current anomaly which sees officers work 46-hour weeks while getting paid for 40 be rectified. 

"This effectively means they are losing 15 per cent of their pay packet," the MPA said in its statement today, slamming officers' current conditions as "mediocre".