Police union threatens legal action over unpaid overtime

The police branch of the Isotita trade union on Wednesday threatened legal action over plans to extend staff hours in the coming months.

The police had on Tuesday announced a two-month clampdown on organised crime, with increased patrols through the night across the island. However, as unions were quick to point out, the pay for police working those extra hours is set to remain the same.

A police statement on Tuesday evening had suggested officers should “feel the highest duty they have to serve” and thus “express their willingness to assist as and when needed”.

Reacting on Wednesday, Isotita said they will “make sure to move through the courts to collect the money our members deserve, up to the very last euro”.

They also criticised the chief of police’s “choice to invoke the patriotism and sense of duty of the affected members of the police in order to not pay them overtime for the next two months”.

They added, “without consultation and without identifying the problem which will be created in the police’s orderly operation, they proceeded with unilateral arbitrary decisions which violate the fundamental labour rights of police officers.”

To this end, they criticised the “disorganisation, sloppiness, lack of will, lack of vigour, lack of courage, and reluctance to dare to make reforms”.

With regard to the planned unpaid overtime, they said, “it seems that patriotism and slogans to make people work for free only applies to the lower ranks of the police.

“Obviously, the families of these police officers and their livelihoods are of no concern to the president, the justice minister, or the chief of police.”