The Education Department had stopped payments to Mr Clean back in December 2015 after it was found that the company, whose directors stand charged with human trafficking, were paying their workers less than the specified minimum hourly rate. The case is being followed up by the competent authorities. MCCS Ltd (Mr Clean) was awarded cleaning contracts in a total of 19 state schools.

Back in February the Opposition claimed that the government was allowing the employment of cleaners on precarious conditions at state schools. It had been claimed that cleaners at the Pembroke primary school were being paid an hourly rate of €4.20, which was below the allowed minimum pay.

It emerged during the court proceedings in the human trafficking case that Mr Clean was the company that had been awarded the cleaning tender at the Pembroke school. Its directors, Joseph Degiorgio and his three children Jason Paul, Christopher and Josianne Degiorgio, are charged with trafficking Filipino workers to Malta via a Philippines ‘recruitment agency.’ A court has heard how the workers paid €5,000 in return for work and free food and accommodation in Malta but had their contracts changed upon arrival. The witnesses said some of them were directly employed with Mr Clean while others worked at Mater Dei Hospital and Malta International Airport through Servizi Malta Ltd – a consortium formed by MCCS, Bad Boy Cleaners and Italian firm Armonia Holding.

Apart from trafficking some 31 Filipino nationals, they are also being charged with incorporating and financing a criminal organization, forming part of the same organization and misappropriation. The court has also heard that there might have been breaches of labour laws.

The (former) employees said they were paid a flat rate of €4.20 per hour, including Sundays and public holidays, had to work 12-hour days and any overtime was paid in cash at part-time rates. The cleaning company was not declaring (and paying tax on) these extra hours, the court heard. The Degiorgios deny the charges. They have since been released on bail.

Wages were lower than government-required minimum

The Malta Independent on Sunday contacted the Education Ministry, the Health Ministry and MIA and asked whether they would be taking action in view of the human trafficking charges levelled against the Mr Clean directors.

A spokesperson for the Education Ministry pointed out that Mr Clean had had its payments stopped in December over salary irregularities. The Ministry confirmed that MCCS Cleaning Services was contracted for cleaning services in 19 schools.

“In January 2016, during internal checks it resulted that the hourly rate on the company’s employee payslip was not according to Contracts Circular No 04/2015. The case was sent for follow-up to the Department for Industrial and Employment Relations. The contractor was notified in writing and payments stopped. The last payment was made in December 2015.”

Circular No 04/2015 states that the minimum basic rate payable to cleaners (offices) in 2015 was to be €4.52 plus €0.25 per hour as weekly allowances and bonuses, for a total of €4.77 per hour. The Mr Clean employees were only being paid €4.20 per hour.

Furthermore, cleaners working in hospitals are supposed to be paid a higher rate. According to the government contracts circular, hospital cleaners were to be paid a basic rate of €5.13 per hour in 2015, plus a €0.25 per hour allowance, for a total rate of €5.38 per hour.  All witnesses, including those who worked shifts at Mater Dei, alleged that they were always paid an hourly rate of €4.20.

Health Ministry silent, MIA following developments

The accused were charged in their capacity as directors, shareholders, legal representatives, officials and / or consultants of MCCS Co Ltd (Mr Clean), The Maltese Falcon Recruitment Services Ltd, Servizi Malta Ltd and Melita Health Services Ltd.

While none of the accused is a director of this particular company, Servizi Malta is registered at the same address as the other companies belonging to the Degiorgio family – the Degiorgio building in Balzan.

Questions sent to the Health Parliamentary Secretariat on Monday remained unanswered by the time of going to print yesterday.

Malta International Airport confirmed that it makes use of Servizi Malta Ltd’s services but said it was “following the developments of this case closely, and will take the necessary action when all facts are known”.