Freeport collective agreement close to being signed

A new collective agreement for Freeport employees is expected to be signed in the next few days after progress in negotiations was made yesterday during a two-hour meeting between the Freeport management and the Union Haddiema Maghqudin.

Union section secretary Joe Grillo said following the meeting that the union was expecting a reply from the management by noon today to its financial and shift work proposals, which were the main bones of contention.

Tomorrow, the union will be calling the workers to discuss the proposals.

Mr Grillo said it seemed the company was now understanding what the union wanted, and it could also shift from its initial rigid position.

Union general secretary Gejtu Vella said in the morning that the collective agreement expired last year and there had been stumbling blocks in the talks, mainly regarding rosters and salaries.

Mr Vella said the union did not want the Freeport to be privatised before the collective agreement was signed.

The UHM also wanted certain commitments in writing before the privatisation of the enterprise. One such commitment was that no workers would be shed. Although this was being promised verbally, it had not yet been stated in writing, he said.