An agreement has been reached between the Ministry for Home Affairs, National Security and Law Enforcement and the Police Officers Union (POU) within the General Workers’ Union (GWU) on working conditions related to compulsory quarantine due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Through this agreement, the police will not be losing certain allowances to which they are entitled when they are following a period of compulsory quarantine on the orders from the Public Health Authorities or while on sick leave because they are positive for Covid-19, the Ministry said.

The POU, had last week issued directives to its members that they should not wear a tie, a uniform hat, or to shave. The action was taken after there was no progress during talks over a complaint that had been made some weeks before about sick leave.

The union said that the industrial dispute was over quarantine leave – if police test positive for Covid-19 the days in quarantine were currently being deducted from their sick leave.

At a meeting between Minister Byron Camilleri and officials of the POU, it was explained that the government has “every intention of continuing to support the police who are seen as frontliners in the fight against Covid-19.

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