Police file judicial protest over unpaid overtime

The Malta Police Association has filed a judicial protest to demand payment for overtime to members who worked extra hours during the Valletta migration summit and the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting held last year.

The protest was filed against the principal permanent secretary at the Office of the Prime Minister Mario Cutajar and the permanent secretary at the Home Affairs Ministry Kevin Mahoney.

The protest was filed after several attempts made by the MPA for payment to be made went ignored, the association said in a statement.

It said that some officers worked 150 hours of overtime during the two events, and they have still not been paid. The government is insisting that this is a matter of “disturbance allowance”, but the MPA argues that these officers were detailed and obliged to carry out this work.

“If the police officers’ conditions of work document needs to be amended to rectify anomalies, then this should be done immediately. This abuse should stop,” the association added, calling for talks for a collective agreement.

“Police officers for part of public service and should benefit from the basic conditions others benefit from. Every work deserves to be paid for.”

It added that it is prepared to take all legal action needed for the situation to be settled.