Hundreds of public service employees to move onto indefinite contracts

A circular issued yesterday will result in hundreds of public sector employees receiving indefinite jobs, rather than jobs based on three-year contracts, Principal Permanent Secretary Mario Cutajar announced.

He was addressing a press briefing regarding the issue.

The circular reads that “in recent years, it has become customary that around every five years, the public service carries out what appears to be a one off process, wherein definite contracts are converted into indefinite ones. Henceforth there will be no such process as the system is being changed indefinitely and for good reasons.

“When comparing employment conditions between the public service and other sectors, the current situation poses a discrimination against those seeking a career in the public service.”

Up until now, positions in the public service are on the basis of three-year contracts, and successful applicants could only have obtained an indefinite status by the fourth year of employment. “Henceforth, positions in the public service which are not in a senior management level will be filled on an indefinite basis. Only the applicable probationary/trial period tied to the position will determine whether an officer will be confirmed in the position, thus attaining indefinite status.”

He told the press that this will not apply to all Public Service employees, like teachers and doctors who have their own career agreements, but will apply to hundreds of employees. Asked for an example as to which sectors this would affect, he said administration, finance, environment, ICT related jobs etc. He said that this will not apply to persons of trust.

This change, he said, would result in stability for the workers. Currently, he said, the system until now also creates problems for workers when trying to get loans.

Asked whether this would result in higher public sector appointment, thus creating more problems for the private sector, he said that the majority of government employees are in education and healthcare. He said that all that happened today, is that the system changed, rather than having definite contracts change to indefinite contracts every five years. “I don’t think this affects the MEA, as they employ people like us. As in the private sector employs people like we are doing now.”

Pushed, and told that employees in the public sector tend to remain there and not move around, he disagreed. “Workers themselves move. That’s how the younger generations are. I’m not against it, but we try and keep those who are experienced.”

In addition to this, he said that negotiation regarding collective agreements for the public sector employees are ongoing but should soon be complete.

Describing the work done to improve efficiency over the past four years, he said that the number of workers taking sick leave has reduced, and also said that they are working to increase and improve 24/7 public services.