Zarb to sue PM for libel

The general secretary of the General Workers' Union, Tony Zarb, will this morning file a libel suit against Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi for saying that he (Mr Zarb) had shut Sea Malta down resulting in the loss of 144 jobs.

Addressing a protest demonstration in Paola yesterday evening, Mr Zarb said that although many people had put the blame on the union, the Prime Minister had been specific in his comments, which were untrue.

Neither was it true that Emmanuel Grimaldi was upset with the GWU for speaking to the Italian unions. Mr Grimaldi had assured the union that this was not the reason for his not buying Sea Malta.

The government, said Mr Zarb, had incited workers against the union. But unlike the government, the GWU did not have anything on its conscience.

Mr Zarb said that if the government continued to treat workers in the way it was treating them, it would eventually have to face a general strike. But the union would only order this strike when it suited it. It would carry on with its campaign in January backed by massive support from the people. The union was willing to meet the government to find a solution to the water and electricity surcharge even on Christmas Day. So the ball was in the government's court.

The union also had an issue with employers because all workers were carrying the burden.

Employers should insist that the government finds a solution because they were about to face further industrial action. Clearly implying that union personnel and their relatives were being threatened, Mr Zarb said:

"Do not continue threatening us with our lives, do not continue sowing personal hatred against us because we are doing our duty. You can eliminate us from the world but you can never eliminate the GWU. If a member of the union or a relative is touched, we'll wipe the floor with you."

The union, he said, was only doing its duty and regardless of the threats it received, it would not be silenced.

Many workers and pensioners could not afford to shoulder any more financial burdens. Even though others were keeping their mouths shut, the GWU could not betray the workers.

Rather than attack the GWU, everyone should speak up against the burdens the government was imposing on the people.

The GWU wanted the government to be aware of the people's pain.

And even though critics had said that demonstrations would not create jobs, in spite of the union's demonstrations yesterday and a few days ago, a new textile company would be setting up shop in Malta soon.

This company was coming to Malta even though there were those who had been prepared to gamble that no more textile companies would ever come to Malta.

Because of this prediction, Industry Minister Austin Gatt, he said, should move his office to one of the country's casinos.