GWU reports show EU will hit workers - Zarb

General Workers' Union general secretary Tony Zarb yesterday said union-commissioned reports showed that employees in a range of sectors would be negatively affected by EU membership.

In particular, Mr Zarb cited Enemalta, Malta Freeport, port workers, Air Malta, Air Supplies, cargo handlers, government employees, shipyards, the Water Services Corporation and the tourism sector.

Speaking to members during a rally at union headquarters, Mr Zarb said some of these reports had been prepared by economist Gordon Cordina, who last Sunday addressed a Nationalist Party meeting in Sliema and argued in favour of accession.

Mr Zarb lashed out at former GWU official Mike Seychell, who also addressed the PN meeting. He said that although Mr Seychell gave the impression that he had just left the union, the truth was that he had left 25 years ago.

At the mass meeting, Mr Seychell had called on the union leadership to change its position on EU membership or step down.

In reply, Mr Zarb said the union would remain firm in its position against membership in the present circumstances. The union's position, he added, was based on a unanimous decision.

"The union is democratic and we will stand by the unanimous decision taken by our general conference. Heaven forbid that the union has people of his (Mr Seychell) ilk who would try to undermine what was decided democratically."

He accused Mr Seychell of serving as a prop for the government, and said it was significant that the PN felt the need to invite people to address its mass meetings. "It shows they need props to try and match the union's campaign."

Mr Zarb stressed that it was the union's duty to explain the implications of EU membership to its members.

He also referred to accusations that the GWU's stand was influenced by the Labour Party. "I swear that nobody from the Labour Party has put pressure on us to mount a campaign against membership. I am prepared to sign an affidavit on this."

Mr Zarb accused Xarabank presenter Peppi Azzopardi of serving as another prop for the government.

He said Mr Azzopardi had invited the union to a programme that would focus on its EU stand: "I want to tell Mr Azzopardi that we will accept the invitation but we will set a number of conditions. The first is that he will not be the presenter since he is biased against the GWU."

Mr Zarb told senior citizens at the rally to pray for the GWU administration because they had a huge burden to bear, especially as there seemed to be a strong, orchestrated campaign against the union.