Investments Minister Austin Gatt has written to the general secretary of the European Trade Union Congress to explain that Enemalta employees had been suspended because the General Workers' Union had acted in clear breach of the collective agreement.
Responding to a letter sent by John Monks to Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi, Dr Gatt said action would not have been taken by the government had "(the GWU) not been in clear breach of the conciliation proceedings provided for in the collective agreement as a pre-requisite before the issue of any directives involving industrial action; not been in clear breach of the same collective agreement which provides that essential services should not be affected (the Enemalta aviation re-fuelling depot is the only depot in Malta); this incident not been the third time in a few weeks when the GWU issued directives in clear breach of existing collective agreements".
Two weeks ago, the GWU ordered aviation workers not to do certain paperwork at the re-fuelling depot, a move which led to the depot being closed down temporarily on safety grounds and the workers being suspended.
Dr Gatt informed Mr Monks that Enemalta had now lifted the suspension of the employees following the lifting by the GWU of its directives.
However, he also explained that the GWU was refusing to discuss the original trade dispute - a declaration it has made both publicly and in front of the official conciliator - notwithstanding that Enemalta was fully prepared to do so.
"Enemalta last week declared that it is prepared to discuss the time the employees were suspended together with the original dispute but the GWU is making the former a condition for proceeding with the latter - this is unacceptable to Enemalta; as a solution to this impasse, I have suggested to the union that they refer the matter of the suspensions to either an arbiter or to the Industrial Tribunal or to a court of law. Whilst they have not given me an answer officially, they have publicly stated that they will not do so!"
Dr Gatt also told the ETUC general secretary the Prime Minister is to hold a meeting with the GWU on Wednesday.
Reacting in a statement, the GWU said Dr Gatt tried to fool Mr Monks by giving the impression that workers went back to work as if nothing had happened. However, the union said, the minister knew this was not the case because the employees who had taken part in the industrial action were still considered suspended.