News

Finance Minister leads mediation meeting between the Lotto Receivers’ Union, the UHM and Maltco

A temporary agreement has been reached between the Lotto Receivers’ Union, UHM and Maltco representatives

Finance Minister Tonio Fenech has intervened to solve an impasse between the Lotto Receivers’ Union and Maltco after the latter switched off the computer terminals because the lotto receivers failed to sign a new agreement on time.

During a mediation meeting led by Fenech, the Lotto Receivers’ Union, UHM and Maltco representatives, agreed to hold further discussions to find a permanent solution within the coming two weeks.

In the meantime, the Lotto Receivers have agreed to sign an interim agreement covering the coming two weeks which will enable Maltco Limited to immediately restore its services to the Lotto Receivers.

https://www.maltatoday.com.mt/news/national/19412/maltco-lotto-receivers-sign-interim-agreement-until-final-one-is-reached-20120706#.Yoid3agzbIU

Lotto receivers have complained with TVM that they cannot take part in the gambling which is organised by Maltco itself. This decision was announced by the company at the end of December in order to ensure responsible gambling. On their part, lotto receivers said they are already trained to help others to avoid becoming addicted to gambling and that they are only intermediaries in the gambling sector.

From the beginning of this year, operators of Lotto and other Maltco gambling have banned their employees, agents, sellers, assistants and members of the board from participating in the gambling organised by the same company.

Questioned by Television Malta about the reason behind this directive, a spokesperson for the company said that this part of their strategy towards responsible gambling so that clients can be in a safe environment. She said that over the last 15 years, no abuse had been reported and it had increased its yearly training for its employees, agents and assistants to ensure responsible gambling.

Asked what would happen if someone is caught gambling anyway, Maltco said that the person would not be able to cash in their winnings and it would be considered uncollected. This could lead to other repercussions according to the measures which may be taken in the case of a breach of the regulations which are stipulated in the licence.

This decision has annoyed various lotto receivers. The President of the Lotto Receivers’ Union Marco Rossi told Television Malta that they were taken aback by this directive as no one had communicated with them beforehand. He said it was not fair to be denied the chance to try their luck like everyone else.

“We are just intermediaries, in others words both in the operations and the organisation of the gambling, such as the draw, we have absolutely no say. We do not see why we should be denied the chance to win the jackpot like every one else.”

As for the company wanting to ensure responsible gambling, Mr Ross said that they are already trained to help others.

“We are not only responsible for ourselves but we are trained so that when we see someone who has lost control of his gambling, we are obliged to draw attention to it.”

The President of this union said he hopes the company will revise its directive and change it, to make things fairer for everyone.

Lotto receivers not allowed to take part in gambling which is organised by Maltco

Lotto Offices, members of the Lotto
Receivers Union who have recently affiliated to the Malta Chamber of Small and
Medium Enterprises, GRTU, remained closed today after a dispute with Maltco.Maltco Lotteries Limited, a subsidiary
of Intralot Greece was awarded a 10-year concession and a licence to operate
the National Lottery of Malta. The award was granted following a competitive
tendering process.

After the award Maltco requested each
individual lotto operator to sign an individual Agency Agreement according to
their own terms and unless one signed the agreement by a fixed date, his /her
livelihood would have been switched off. In 2012 all POS terminals at the lotto
booths can be switched off from Maltco’s Head Office in IKLIN.

Whilst this parameter already leaves
much to be desired, Maltco, immediately after the signing started requesting
individual lotto receivers to increase their guarantee and additionally
requested also the Lotto receivers Union to increase their collective guarantee
by a substantial amount too.

An operator who could not increase his
guarantee from Euro 10,000 to Euro 24, 000 as requested by Maltco had his Point
of Sale (POS) Terminal disconnected. GRTU requested an immediate meeting with
Maltco over the issue. Maltco outlined that they are only able to meet after
the 17th of September 2012. GRTU has no problem with meeting after
the 17th of September but cordially requested Maltco to reactivate
this member s POS until discussions are held.

No answer was forthcoming and GRTU
turned to Intralot in Greece for answers. Intralot cordially redirect us to
Maltco’s closed doors. GRTU has been around since 1948 working hard to make
sure that self employed are given their dignity and that their conditions
continue to improve year after year. It has been quite a while since a Maltese
Company or an Authority or a Ministry or a foreign investor for all that
matters not to accept to sit around the table and discuss this now important
issue.

As outlined priorly, because Maltco,
CEO is a very busy man we do not expect
overnight treatment, but if one is not able to meet one can surely ethically
accept to reactive the livelihood of an individual and then discuss this issue
at a later stage, when they have the time.

But this is probably not an issue of
guarantees, it is more an issue of might is right. What is also lacking in the
picture is the lack of initiative from Government’s point in respect to the
livelihood of so many lotto receivers and their dependents. Maybe Government
has tied its hands in the way it can handle Maltco over the next ten years.
GRTU has no copy of the agreement reached between Government (through the
Privitisation Unit) and Maltco. We will of course be asking for this.

Friday 7th September is
truly a sad day for Malta, a very sad day. Government’s intervention was not
enough to bring two parties to a table. It is ironic that a few months back
Malta grasping the value of solidarity forked out millions to Greece and now we
have Greek citizens employed with a Greek Multinational who with the touch of a
button are able to switch off the livelihood of self employed Maltese in the
gaming sector.

They have done so a month ago,
enforcing each and every lotto receiver to sign an agreement with no
discussions.

GRTU asks. Are we back to the 60’s and 70’s. Are we back
to the colonial times? Have we lost our identity? Who is in the driving seat?

Whilst we are totally in favor of decent foreign investment,
we are not in favor of Government selling our blood to foreigners at any cost.
After all we are human!

https://web.archive.org/web/20210120065916/https://www.smechamber.mt/lotto_receivers_stay_closed/