400 shipyard workers march on GWU, claiming discrimination

There was considerable commotion at the General Workers' Union headquarters yesterday as hundreds of disgruntled shipyard workers demanded an explanation as to why they have been removed from their job.

About 400 workers gathered at the GWU headquarters in Valletta claiming they had been discriminated against and that the management had chosen the wrong people to stay on.

A total of 900 Malta Drydocks or Malta Shipbuilding workers last Saturday received a letter informing them that they are to be offered one of four early retirement or voluntary redundancy schemes.

Under an agreement between the government and the union, those who refuse the schemes will be absorbed by a new company, Industrial Projects and Services Ltd, and seconded to the civil service and to public-private partnerships.

Some 1,700 were told they would be retained by another new company, Malta Shipyards Ltd.

The GWU, the government, and the shipyards' management came in for scathing criticism from the workers, who felt deceived.

Workers were invited to a meeting with GWU general secretary Tony Zarb, which was closed to the press.

However, sources said the meeting turned into one loud shouting match as workers demanded a revision of the selection process.

In a statement last night, the GWU said the complaints, as explained to it by the workers, were justified.

It said that following the meeting with the workers, union representatives met Social Policy Minister Lawrence Gonzi and asked for the "necessary remedies".

The GWU has called the workers to another meeting this morning.

Workers on their way into the union building earlier claimed that several workers about to reach pensionable age were among those who had been chosen to stay on at the 'yards.

Some workers said they had been sidelined simply because they had had quarrels with managers in the past.

"People who are known for shirking their work all day have been retained. They even had the cheek to keep someone suffering from a breakdown," a welder protested.

Another worker told reporters: "I am a Nationalist, I have never supported a trade union in 27 years, but I am here because I feel humiliated."

An acting chargeman said he always received excellent work assessments, and was therefore stunned when he received the letter last Saturday.

On the other hand, some of those being retained at the shipyard actually wanted to be transferred. One worker who turned up at yesterday's meeting even showed journalists a copy of a doctor's certificate saying he had been selected to stay on despite his ailing condition.

Workers complained that all the activists had been ousted from the shipyards, including former Malta Shipbuilding worker director Jesmond Tanti.

"There are skilled people among us here. It is now very clear that it pays to be unproductive," Mr Tanti said.

An assessment of the workforce had been made some two years ago and 'yard workers were judged on several criteria, including skills and performance. A revision of this exercise was carried out recently.

Sources said the management was involved in the selection process, and that the GWU and the government were not part of it.

The sources said that criteria such as age, trainability, and medical conditions were taken into consideration.

Of the workers over 55, only those with certain skills were retained, the sources said.

Those walking out of yesterday's highly charged meeting did not take lightly to the sight of news cameramen and photographers, with certain workers having to be restrained from attacking the Net News team.

Some workers were also heard inciting their colleagues to go on a rampage because "that's the only way the government will listen to us".

Others pinned the blame for their fate squarely on EU membership.

Those who wanted to register for new jobs or to find details about training for new jobs, could do so yesterday with the help of ETC officers working from premises at 9, Old Mint Street, Valletta.

Forms were also available for those who wanted to query their assessment.

Sources said that most of the scores of workers who went there yesterday were interested in obtaining details from the Social Policy Ministry about retirement and pensions.

The ETC officers will be available until November 21.