SkolaSajf workers have received a small part of their wage after an industrial dispute was filed, union representatives said on Tuesday.

Earlier this month, the Union of Professional Educators registered an industrial dispute with the Foundation for Educational Services after staff working in the summer school program were informed they would not be paid until October.

Union president Graham Sansone told reporters that the staff had this week received a €100 payment, and would be receiving the rest of their wage over the coming weeks.

The summer programme caters for around 12,000 children in some 59 centres across the island, and has long been plagued by payroll issues.

Two weeks ago, the union had said foundation officials had notified the employees that their payments would be delayed again.

Teachers and support workers were told they would not start getting paid until after the SkolaSajf programme had ended in September.

Delays of this nature, Mr Sansone said, could constitute a breach of the Employment and Industrial Relations Act.

Speaking just outside the foundation’s headquarters in Mtarfa, Mr Sansone said the foundation had also finally agreed to upgrade its payroll system.

“Till today the foundation has been carrying out its payroll by hand, resulting in delays and even errors,” Mr Sansone said, adding that once workers were made to pay back funds to the foundation after it realised it had overpaid them.