Former worker-director to contest GWU post

Former Malta Shipbuilding worker-director Jesmond Tanti is to stand for election for the sensitive post of secretary of the General Workers Union's shipyards section following the sudden resignation of its officials.

The president, secretary and assistant secretary resigned on Thursday blaming pressure from fellow members of the section's executive committee.

The resignation took place just a day after the union's national council issued a statement seen as supporting the officials. The section represents about 2,400 members with just over half being shipyard workers.

The rest are employed with Kalaxlokk, Motherwell Bridge, Bezzina Ship Repair and Medserv. Mr Tanti, 35, was one of the 900 workers who were recently transferred from the shipyards to alternative jobs.

He is currently waiting for his new position within government structures. Mr Tanti yesterday confirmed to The Sunday Times that he was running for the post: "I am aware that given the present situation at the shipyards the post is extremely delicate, but I feel I should be there at such a difficult time.

"I have been approached by many workers who have urged me to contest the election," he said.

Mr Tanti said he believed the Maltese shipyards' future was very bleak: "I believe the situation is bad and the future is not looking good. This is why the workers should join forces to overcome the present hurdles to ensure their rights are safeguarded."

Asked about his priority if elected, Mr Tanti said: "I will serve the workers. I defended the workers' rights during the years I served as worker-director at Malta Shipbuilding and I believe I will be in a better position to fight for the workers' rights in my new role."

The resignations of the union officials within this controversial section were confirmed in a terse statement by the union a few days ago, which also attached copies of the resignation letters by Marco Zammit, president, Alfred Cassar, secretary, and Victor Camilleri, assistant secretary.

In their letters the three officials said they had resigned because of pressure they had been subjected to by other union members. In his letter Mr Cassar said: "For the past few months I was instigated by members of the executive committee to give up my post, along with the other administrative members of the committee. These (persons) incited the workers, telling them we had signed a collective agreement that they had not been notified about."

Mr Cassar added that the persons he was referring to were members of the executive when the collective agreement was presented for approval and they had moved amendments. They had voted for the approval of the agreement during the conference, which was held purposely for the drydocks delegates to approve the deal, he wrote. All three former officials said they were ready to keep assisting the union.