Customs officers up in arms over promotions

69 Customs Officers who have been in the job for five years are infuriated by the decision taken by the government to go ahead with plans to allow new Officers, set to be appointed tomorrow, to compete with them for the available positions at Inspector level.

A number of experienced Officers who spoke to MaltaToday explained that the new Government had retracted its pledge to undo the unjust plans devised by the previous administration and introduce a just promotions process. 

The problems arose after calls to fill in 44 vacant positions at Inspector level were issued last year, however only 20 Officers were eligible to sit for the interview.

The sectorial agreement stipulates that only Officers with five years experience at Scale 10 of the Public Service are eligible for the promotion to Inspectors. Officers are only upgraded to Scale 10 after five years in the job, therefore promotions were only open to Officers with at least 10 years experience.

Since only 20 Officers had the necessary qualifications, a clause was introduced, stating: "On a one time only basis, and should the desired staff compliment not be reached, another call will be issued for which all customs officers will be eligible to apply."

Customs workers who spoke to MaltaToday explained that this clause was introduced by the Nationalist administration to accommodate a Customs employee who was effectively given an equal opportunity to 69 Officers who had been promoted to their position five years earlier through promotions stipulated by the 2007 Addendum of 1995 Sectorial Agreement.

A number of Senior Customs Assistants (SCAs) who sat for the Officer exam last year and expecting to be promoted tomorrow, had unsuccessfully sat for the Officers exam five years ago.

Yet, following the introduction of the clause in 2012, which was opposed by the General Workers Union, Officers set to be appointed tomorrow will be granted the same opportunities granted to officers with five years experience.

Following a number of meetings between representatives of the injured Customs Officers and the new administration, including Prime Minister Joseph Muscat, the Officers were told that the new Officers would not be appointed before the second call for Inspectors is issued.

However, the Officers said that the new Labour government found itself in the same situation as the previous government and decided to go ahead with the new Officers' appointments to allow an SCA with connections to the new administration to sit for the Inspector interview.

Experienced officers told Malta Today that they feel hard done because the new appointments will be issued before the second call for Inspectors is issued.

They said that their main bone of contention is the fact that SCAs who passed the exam for Officers can compete with them, despite not having been in the job for one single day, for the post of Inspector since their appointment will be handed over before the second call for Inspectors is issued.

The experienced officers added that their loyalty, achievement and experience is being overlooked to accommodate a small number of well-connected individuals.