Freeport, union still have bridges to cross

Education minister Louis Galea yesterday chaired two conciliation meetings between the Union Haddiema Maghqudin and the management of the Freeport, one in the morning and a second in the afternoon.

According to the UHM, the Freeport management and the union were finding it difficult to reach agreement on a number of issues being negotiated as part of a collective agreement to replace the one which expired last year.

UHM section secretary Joe Grillo said the bones of contention were the financial package being offered, the employees' roster and certain guarantees needed in view of the planned Freeport privatisation.

During a meeting in the morning, Freeport employees approved the line being taken by the union and the way it was conducting the negotiations.

The union and the management will now be having a separate meeting each with Dr Galea, after which there will be another meeting involving all three, when an agreement will hopefully be reached, Mr Grillo told The Times.

Sources close to the government told The Times on Wednesday that the Freeport management was offering workers a package which virtually guaranteed their jobs, proposed better working conditions, and would introduce a flexible working system.