Union in dispute with car firms

The General Workers' Union has given notice of industrial action to 10 leading importers of new cars over a new collective agreement for employees.

In a letter to the importers, Andrew Mizzi, secretary of the union's electronics and communications section, warned that the union would order industrial action with immediate effect if it did not get any positive response from the importers in the coming days.

He pointed out that the last collective agreement had expired 16 months ago and the union had been insisting since then on holding negotiations to revise the old agreement and sign a new one.

The union said that the companies involved are Kinds Auto Sales, Michael Attard Ltd, Gasan Enterprises, UCIMCO Ltd, Muscat Motors, Continental Cars, Industrial Motors, Mizzi Automotive Services, International Automobiles Ltd and Mizzi Organisation Automotive Division.

The union added that the director of labour and industrial relations, Noel Vella, was being kept informed about the situation.