GWU hopes government changes tack after long weekend

The general secretary of the General Workers' Union, Tony Zarb yesterday launched a fresh appeal for discussions with the government on the fate of the 13 Interprint workers who have been laid off.

"I hope the government would have given the issue some thought once the long weekend is over," Mr Zarb said.

Addressing members of the union's services and media section, Mr Zarb said that the workers should be offered a job in the public sector, as had happened in other government companies that had been downsized or closed down.

He said the GWU preferred discussion to confrontation but the way things developed did not depend on the union alone. He said the government had to put a stop to its "guillotine" policy.

In a reply to the union's demands for a meeting, Dr Gonzi argued that the government was not prepared to meet the union unless it withdrew the threats of industrial action unconditionally.

The government is maintaining that talks should be limited to the Employment and Training Corporation's support of Interprint's workers and how the corporation would help them find employment in the private sector.