A newly-elected action committee promised to take all necessary steps, including legal action, to fight for the rights to a commuted pension of the hundreds of public work employees who packed the ballroom of the Phoenicia Hotel at a meeting on Friday evening.

The issue in question is related to the law stating that civil workers who started working with the government after 16 January 1979 will not be eligible for a commuted pension.

Addressing around 1,000 workers in the hall, with another 200 standing outside due to lack of space, legal adviser Reno Borg told the audience that even though they started working before 16 January 1979, they had been informed that they were not eligible for a commuted pension.

However, he added, “we recently discovered that around 55 former employees, who like all of you here had started working with the government before 16 January 1979, received a commuted pension”.

Dr Borg said that these people were granted the commuted pension because they were given the “appointment before 16 January 1979”.

“As a result you have been discriminated against and were not treated fairly,” he told a cheering audience.

Dr Borg said it was thanks to them that various large projects, including the China Dock, housing estates around Malta, St Vincent De Paule, Karin Grech Hospital, the Freeport, the airport and hundreds of roads, were built and completed.

“You created and built the foundations of the Malta we know today,” said Dr Borg.

Addressing the crowd, he told them that they had recently found out that around 55 people who were in their same situation were granted the commuted pension.

“While we wish all the best to our colleagues who received the commuted pension, we want to ensure that you receive it too,” he said.

Following the discovery, the committee sent a letter to the head of the Civil Department explaining the situation and received an acknowledgement in May.

“We want the law in pensions to change so that all of you who started working after 16 January 1979 will also receive the commuted pension

Dr Borg pointed out that the solution to the problem is very easy – all that is needed is the government’s goodwill.

“If there is goodwill from the authorities, then this issue should not be a problem,” he added.

Dr Borg told the workers they were eligible because they all paid National Insurance and their taxes while working a full 40-hour week like everyone else.

He said the committee would keep them informed about what is going on.

In the mean time, Dr Borg encouraged them to keep on working and giving the good example to other people.

He appealed to the authorities to show the workers that they have a new mentality that will in turn ensure that all those who worked will receive adequate compensation.

“You dedicated your life to your work and now you rightly deserve compensation,” said Dr Borg.

He expressed his satisfaction at the huge turnout and said that the committee will now request another meeting with the government.

“Now that I know that so many of you are behind us we will continue pushing forward our case,” he said.

“I hope the authorities will wake up to the situation and realise that we will take all the necessary steps – even legal,” said Dr Borg.

However, he told the workers that he couldn’t make any promises, as he was not in a position to do so.

“I cannot promise you anything but the government can – and the government is the only one that can change the situation,” he said.