I refer to the article entitled UHM gives ultimatum to Law Courts’ administration (TMID, 22 March).

It should be pointed out, first and foremost, that your readers might get the impression that the Law Courts administration was, and is, against the UHM’s proposal for a revision in the payments system to court marshals while this category of court employees is on custodian duties after normal working hours.

The truth of the matter is that when the union first proposed that the remuneration to custodians should be revised, the Court Administration immediately agreed in principle that there should be such a revision.

In fact, as soon as the union submitted a formal request, as agreed with the Law Courts administration, the latter started negotiations on behalf of the custodians with the Management and Personnel Office and the Finance Ministry. Although the discussions and correspondence between the Finance Ministry and the Law Courts Administration are still going on, and the union has been informed of this, the union saw fit to give the Law Courts administration an ultimatum as if the Law Courts administration was doing nothing about the matter.

The Law Courts administration has committed itself to give the union a formal official reply as soon as discussions are concluded with the Finance Ministry and Management and Personnel Office.

Vanni Galea

Director General

Courts of Justice Division