Aircraft refuelling service resumes

Aircraft refuelling at the airport resumed yesterday afternoon after nine workers signed a declaration stating they were willing to return to work.

The refuelling service had been stopped on Wednesday afternoon and its personnel suspended after aviation consultants advised Enemalta that a General Workers' Union directive threatened aircraft safety procedures.

The GWU had directed the corporation's aviation section workers "not to fill in Enemalta papers".

In a statement yesterday, the Investments Ministry said that while the GWU was addressing a news conference earlier in the day, Enemalta had informed the civil aviation director and MIA that it could start giving a limited service in full conformity with international aviation regulations.

This could be done after nine out of the 53 workers involved in the action signed a declaration saying they were ready to return to work as normal. The other workers are still suspended without pay after taking the action.

The nine workers are now working on a constant two-worker shift. The ministry said that with two employees the corporation was providing a service at nearly the same levels the union wanted reached by 14 employees.

The ministry reiterated yesterday that the GWU's action went against the collective agreement it had signed with Enemalta, an allegation which the union vigorously denies.

The ministry said that according to the collective agreement, the management and the union should, in cases of disagreement, embark on discussions in an attempt to reach an agreement satisfactory to both.

Both parties were bound to make use of the mechanisms established by law to iron out their differences. Such mechanisms currently consisted of conciliation.

The agreement also said that if such attempts did not lead to the required solution, two working days' notice of industrial action should be given.

The ministry said the union had not sought mediation before taking its action and manifestly did not give notice of the action as it was required to do by the agreement.

It also said that although the union was denying that its action was a threat to safety, the government, Enemalta, the civil aviation authorities, MIA and airlines preferred to follow international safety standards.

Enemalta had also been given external technical expert advice which said that if it continued to give a service under the conditions imposed by the union's directives it would be breaching international aviation security regulations.

These regulations demanded a detailed and authentic record of oil storage and use. They did not permit work to continue without the procedures which were affected by the union's directives.

The ministry said the union wanted 14 workers to work at the airport for eight hours a day carrying out alternative duties for the rest of their time.

It said that on Wednesday Enemalta informed the industrial relations and employment director it was available for conciliation meetings when and if the GWU unconditionally withdrew all directives.

The government and the corporation expressed their appreciation at the determination being shown by the nine workers who accepted to return to work.

The GWU last night accused Enemalta of failing to inform workers of changes to international aviation safety rules.