Maltese industrial action

Solidarity with Maltese workers

Redundancies at MOD pensions office

June 2011

The TUC this week sent a message of solidarity to the Maltese General Workers Union (a fellow member of the ETUC and ITUC) in support of industrial action at the British Pensions Office (BPO) which pays MOD pensions in Malta.

The BPO announced earlier this year that its office would close by the end of December, but management have failed to reach agreement on termination benefits for the four workers, who have served the British Government for years, being made redundant. A similar agreement was reached for workers made redundant recently at the British High Commission.

The union believes that HM Treasury is blocking the scheme, and will delay matters until it is too late to reach an agreement. Staff have faced considerable uncertainty while they wait for a decision, and were served with a termination notice which the union understands is not even in conformity with local legislation.

PCS, which represents most civilian grades at the Ministry of Defence in the UK, has sent a similar message of solidarity.

The GWU issued the following statement to users: 'the Union regrets any inconvenience that may be caused to local pensioners and efforts are being made to ensure that the impact on pensioners shall be minimal.'