GWU in dispute with ST Micro

The General Workers' Union has asked the Industrial Relations Director to intervene in a dispute it has with ST Microelectronics over the renewal of the company's collective agreement.

The GWU's technology, electronic and communications section said the agreement expired in April 2004. It said talks between the two sides, which started immediately after the expiry, had had to be suspended because of the parent company's decision then to lay off some 3,000 workers from its European plants. The Maltese plant was not affected and the negotiations resumed in October.

The union's section said it had insisted that some form of agreement had to be reached by last month and if not, it would register an industrial dispute.

The section has convened the workers' committee to inform them of the situation.