GWU reiterates commitment to Malta Shipyards' productivity

The General Workers Union said it would reiterate its commitment to continue supporting any initiative to increase productivity at the shipyards - but it urged the Malta Shipyards management to ensure that no work practices are applied that hindered the smooth running of work or which continued to lower the workers' morale.

The union, which was commenting on the issue concerning the assignment of overtime, said that in recent days it noted certain practices that annoyed the workers and were lowering their morale.

The union said that in these circumstances it would continue to give its support to the workers and to defend their interests and rights. It also appealed to the workers to follow policies which it may draw up from time to time.

On its part, Malta Shipyards said that it could not accept any actions that are taken outside the terms of the collective agreement and which were counter productive to the efforts to improve the shipyard's results.

Management will take the necessary action, it warned.

The management said that it expected the GWU to put into practice their offer of support to achieve productivity improvements in the shipyards.

Malta Shipyards added that over the last few months, the shareholders, the board and management had clearly demonstrated that the only way in which it intends to affect the morale of the workforce is in the positive sense, particularly in the light of the incessant efforts being made by management to acquire highly profitable contracts for the shipyards.

Nevertheless, competitive markets do not thrive only on workforce morale but even more importantly on their degree of competitiveness.

In this context, organisational or other changes in respect of normal and overtime working hours for all workers are made necessary by the same market and the results of the Shipyards. While project management is being continuously improved, control of costs and efficiency is only the outcome of real reform.

The management said that regular meetings are held between GWU representatives and the management. These will continue in the coming weeks.

Contacted yesterday, Charles Agius, secretary of the Metal and Construction Section of the GWU, said that a crucial issue at present was the fact that the union would not accept that foreign workers, who are engaged at the shipyard when more workers are needed to cope with the workload, would be given preference in the assignment of overtime over the permanent shipyards workers.

Though the section accepted that foreign workers are brought in to make up the complement needed to carry out the work, it was insisting that Maltese workers be given preference, Mr Agius said.