A new collective agreement for domestic staff within the Office of the President has been signed. The agreement includes improvements in working conditions and workers’ wages while better reflecting the specific responsibilities of workers in various roles, the DOI said in a statement.

The new sectoral agreement is the result of months of talks with the workers’ representatives, with the industrial relations section within the Office of the Prime Minister and with the General Workers’ Union, which were instrumental in reaching this agreement.

The collective agreement was signed at Sant’Anton Palace by Rosette Spiteri Cachia, Secretary of the Presidency, and by Ian Vella, Senior Officer within the Human Resources branch, on behalf of the Office of the President, and by Kendrick Bondin, Secretary of the Government and Public Entities Section of the GWU, George Zahra, Assistant Secretary of the same section and by the shop steward of domestic staff within the Office of the President, Vince Chircop.

The Office of the President thanked all those involved in the talks and reiterated its appreciation to all the workers within the Office for their professional service, serious commitment, and continuous dedication.

The Office of the President stressed that it will continue to recognise the work of the staff and offer motivation and potentiality to those who strive to improve their career both through the experience gained by carrying out their duties and through training received away from the workplace.