Bus strike lifted

The Public Transport Association, which represents bus owners, has decided to lift the partial industrial action affecting the bus service following talks with the Malta Transport Authority.

After three days of the service being suspended at 8 p.m., buses will run normally from today.

The association said it met the authority yesterday in the presence of a mediator, Frank Pullicino, the director of labour, and they agreed that talks over outstanding issues would continue on Monday.

The issues include the disposal of the old buses which are to be replaced by new ones, the introduction of ticketing machines and extending a subsidy to cover a larger number of new buses.

The association claims these issues are not being addressed by the authorities. It has now allowed three weeks for solutions to be found and talks to be concluded.

The dispute had reached an impasse after the owners refused to attend a scheduled meeting with transport authority and ministry representatives in the absence of Transport Minister Censu Galea, prompting the association to threaten an all-out strike.