Transport Malta accused of discrimination and breaching worker rights; authority denies claims

The Nationalist Party is accusing Transport Malta of discriminating between workers and breaching the collective agreement governing employee rights at the authority, while Transport Malta denies all allegations.

During a press conference on Tuesday, PN shadow ministers Mark Anthony Sammut and Ivan Castillo said the authority’s management is undermining worker rights and creating systemic injustices.

According to them, workers who have been employed at Transport Malta since before 2013, when it was the Authority for Transport, have faced difficulties accessing pre-retirement leave promised under the last collective agreement. Many nearing retirement told the PN their entitlements are being reduced or withheld entirely. The PN suggests that the authority lost workers’ records.

They also accused the authority of discrepancies in qualification requirements across vacancy calls. For example, a clerical position required six O Levels and an ECDL qualification, yet an executive position – four grades higher – required only five years of office experience.

The PN said internal calls for assistant manager positions have violated the collective agreement stipulation that applicants must have five years of executive experience. Instead, calls have been issued with varying requirements, sometimes as little as two or three years of experience, and inconsistent demands for degrees.

Meanwhile, higher-level roles such as director positions with salaries exceeding that of the prime minister, often lack rigorous qualification requirements. Some calls required only experience without formal qualifications, while others demanded advanced degrees.

Sammut said the authority has been co-opted into serving partisan political interests at the expense of its workers and the integrity of its operations.

Castillo said the authority is violating Legal Notice 128, which mandates equal pay and opportunity for contractor employees performing the same work as directly employed staff. Despite being required to inform contractor employees of vacancies and give them equal chances at permanent roles, the Authority has allegedly refused their applications in many cases.

They promised that a new Nationalist government would overhaul the authority, introducing reforms to restore fairness, transparency, and competency to its operations.

Transport Malta denies all allegations

The authority rejected all accusations made by the Nationalist Party about discrimination or breach of employment laws, including the equal pay for equal work law. It also said it does not engage in partisan issues vand is disappointed that it was the subject of a partisan press conference.

“In 2024, Transport Malta concluded collective agreements that significantly improved employee conditions, as well as reinforced the right of everyone within the authority to be treated equally. This is also reflected in the working conditions and wages of contractor employees,” the authority said in a statement.

“It is evident that the spokespersons are uninformed about the ongoing reforms, including the processes for internal and external interviews, which ensure fairness in promotions and new employment opportunities within the authority.”