Malta Shipbuilding workers and the 'yard's senior management were not against closer cooperation with Malta Drydocks, but wanted to continue operating as a separate entity, worker director Jesmond Tanti said.
Mr Tanti said that uncertainty over the future was having an adverse effect on the 'yard's workers and its management.
Workers wanted clarification from the government about its intentions for Malta Shipbuilding.
"We are not against having a common chairman and executives and having common stores, purchasing, design, security, accounts and personnel if it will help to make both 'yards more efficient. But we strongly believe that senior management and the workers should remain separate."
Mr Tanti said the restructuring in the management which had taken place two years ago had proved to be successful.
"Productivity has increased significantly, particularly between the building of the first Gozo Channel vessel and the last."
Mr Tanti said management and workers were also against ruling out the building of ships.
"The government is saying that shipbuilding is not feasible. We disagree. If the Marsa 'yard is marketed well, both management and workers are convinced we can attract work."
He stressed that the management and workers were not against diversification.
"We believe we should focus on both shiprepair and shipbuilding. But there is no reason for government to close any doors in so far as shipbuilding is concerned."
He also said that it was not right that senior shipbuilding managers were being left in the dark.
"There are persistent rumours that the government will soon be imposing a common management for both 'yards, transferring the management of the shipbuilding to the Drydocks. In the meantime, two senior managers at Malta Drydocks - one involved in operations and the other in steel - were recently transferred to the Marsa 'yard. Nobody has been told what their role is."
He said shipbuilding workers would be seeking to reach an agreement with both political parties before the general election over their intentions if they are returned to power.
"Political parties tend to promise something before the election and then do something else when they are in power. This is why this time around we will be seeking an agreement prior to the election."
The economic services ministry on Thursday reiterated that the government's policy was to integrate the operations of the two shipyards.
For this purpose, the two shipyards had a common chairman and many management functions had been integrated. Action was also being taken for the workers in both 'yards to be given training so that they could be more flexible and productive.
At the same time, intensive marketing aimed at attracting work for both 'yards was continuing. Serious problems had been encountered in efforts for Malta Shipbuilding to win contracts to build whole ships, particularly because of tough competition from Asian shipyards, the ministry said.
On the other hand, the possibility of winning contracts for the building of parts of vessels and steel structures appeared more viable, along with ship conversion and repair work.
This, the government said, was the position it was taking in the context of the EU membership talks.