UHM leaders slam GWU, MLP over anti-EU stand

If the Malta Labour Party had been in favour of membership, the GWU would not have been against it, Union Haddiema Maghqudin president Gaetano Tanti claimed yesterday.

Mr Tanti said the GWU was not only hiding its reports, but also part of its slogan, which should have read: "In these circumstances, when the MLP is saying 'no' to membership, it does not suit you."

On the other hand, the UHM was proud of its independence, Mr Tanti said.

The GWU's reports had the same authors as those of the UHM reports, which had stated the benefits of EU membership, said Mr Tanti at a union mass rally on Shubija fl-Unjoni Ewropea - gejjieni ahjar ghalina (EU membership - a better future for us) at the Catholic Institute, in Floriana yesterday.

Rather than resort to scaremongering, or sentimentalism, like the MLP, Mr Tanti said he chose to talk about "facts and reality".

He said the studies the UHM had commissioned - which showed that if Malta did not join the EU, the economy would not grow, there would be a reduction in investment and importation, as well as job losses - had been confirmed by other reports by foreign experts.

The reports of the UHM, foreign experts and the constituted bodies showed that the EU would lead to more investment and more work.

Mr Tanti accused the GWU of scaring the public by claiming that overtime would be lost, but was doing nothing about the situation.

The public service was the latest target on Opposition Leader Alfred Sant's list of those that would suffer from membership. But the public service knew EU membership was an opportunity, he said.

The MLP was saying no to Lm81 million - which was capricious and unfair on the Maltese.

UHM secretary general Gejtu Vella said that for the MLP, no one meant anything - from the Chamber of Commerce to the Federation of Industry and the Malta Hotels and Restaurants Association and all the others that were in favour of EU membership.

He also hit out at the scaremongering tactics being employed and complained that the letters the opposition leader had sent out were loaded with untruths.

Mr Vella said the UHM had been told by the EU Commission that partnership was for North African countries and that Malta would not benefit from any funds. "Partnership" was for those on the border of Europe, but Malta was being invited onto the inside, he said.

The World Confederation of Labour had also told the UHM that membership was "the only guarantee for the participation of workers in international decision processes... A partnership would not have any influence in decisions concerning the position of European workers and their rights".