The UĦM Voice of the Workers reiterated on Friday it was categorically against a Malta Employers’ Association proposal for the salary of idle public sector workers to be docked.

It said it was against any reduction in wages or allowances of public sector workers when these were carrying out the duties they were obliged to carry from the office or through telework.

The public sector was the backbone of the country’s economy and the work of public servants was necessary for the country to continue to function and for people to be served. 

It was clear that the MEA’s proposal was haphazardly made because it failed to indicate who were the “idle” workers it had been referring to and in which sectors they worked.

The UĦM hoped the MEA was not referring to vulnerable workers, who had been prohibited from leaving home to go to work.

It said it would like to know who were the businessmen in the private sector who made thousands in income and had accepted to take only a social wage before reducing the pay of any of their workers.

It would have been wise of the MEA to encourage its members to reduce the profits they had already made over the years and guarantee their workers a full pay at such a difficult time, the UĦM said.