GWU section secretary 'to resign'

Alfred Cassar, the secretary of the General Workers' Union's construction and metal workers section, has informed the union administration and several drydocks workers that he intends to step down, sources said.

The sources said Mr Cassar has come under pressure to resign following disagreement within the section over the collective agreement for shipyard workers signed just over a month ago.

Mr Cassar has been in the post since May. Sources said that a person who had contested the post had recently resigned from the section's executive committee, and several other members of the 15-strong committee followed suit.

The president and assistant secretary are also signalling they may step down because the rest of the committee has no confidence in them.

Contacted last night and asked whether he intended to step down, Mr Cassar would only say "I have not submitted any resignation."

The sources said Mr Cassar would do so as soon as former shipyard workers are assigned to their new jobs at Industrial Projects and Services Ltd, as he wants to oversee the process. The placements are expected to be made next week, and Mr Cassar feels it is his responsibility to stay on until that time. The transfer had been agreed between the union and the government.

The pressure on Mr Cassar to resign is seen as creating a very dangerous precedent in the union, as the collective agreement was negotiated by the GWU administration led by secretary general Tony Zarb and endorsed by the executive committee and section delegates.

Some of the committee members have complained that they did not have enough information about the agreement before it was signed.

The draft agreement had been explained to them in a meeting lasting over five hours.

The sources said a section secretary can only be removed or elected at a general meeting of section delegates.

The construction and metal workers section has about 2,400 members. Just over half are shipyard workers and the rest are employed with companies such as Kalaxlokk, Motherwell Bridge, Bezzina Ship Repair and Medserv.

Those pushing for the resignation of Mr Cassar want to appoint a provisional committee that will start operating immediately, the sources said.

It is not known what steps the union administration is taking over the matter.

Mr Cassar was recently involved in an incident in which Malta Shipyards chief executive Peter Moore was attacked and manhandled by 'yard workers.

He was trying to explain to assembled workers what the union was doing about a disagreement with the management over the confined spaces allowance when the incident took place.

He was subject to abuse and insults from the workers and tried to calm them down when they moved on Mr Moore. He later condemned their behaviour.