GWU gives reasons for filing police report

The cross-fire following Josephine Attard Sultana's sacking as secretary of the public sector section of the General Workers Union continued yesterday, with the union saying it wanted "to clarify" why its general secretary had written to the Police Commissioner in the aftermath of the dismissal.

The union said the Police Commissioner has asked for a report in writing after GWU general secretary Tony Zarb told him on the phone that a number of people were refusing to leave the union headquarters in Valletta.

It said: "After the council meeting, a number of people, including members of the public sector section and others who had nothing to do with the case, entered the office of the section and declared they were not prepared to leave and told the security personnel they could call the police as they would remain there.

"When they remained there, Mr Zarb phoned the Police Commissioner and explained what was going on and it was the Police Commissioner himself who requested a report in writing so that he could take action.

"Mr Zarb had no option but to follow the Commissioner's instructions as the offices remained occupied."

When contacted yesterday, Ms Attard Sultana said that a corridor door was locked and she was prevented from returning to her office as she attempted to collect her personal belongings.

"There were a few delegates from other sections expressing support to me but no one was making any fuss and I never heard anyone say they were occupying the office.

On the contrary, they were urging me to hurry up to leave as fast as I could. There was no point in me staying there longer than necessary.

But I knew that I had to take whatever I had to take there and then as I would not be allowed to step into that office again the following day," she said.

Ms Attard Sultana said it was rather ironic to be reported by a union official for occupying an office when the union often organised sit-in strikes itself.

"I was also very surprised when the Police Commissioner called. My first reaction was that I was in no mood for jokes at that time," Ms Attard Sultana said.

"The more time passes, the more it's becoming evident they wanted me out," she said.

Another libel suit was filed in connection with this case yesterday - this time by union officials Tony Zarb, Geitu Mercieca, Michael Parnis and Helen Mallia - against PBS news editor Silvana Cristina and the former section president Francis Buttigieg, who was sacked along with Ms Attard Sultana.

The writ said the libel was being filed following comments made by Mr Buttigieg in relation to the GWU administration on PBS news.

On Thursday, the MLP administration filed libel suits against the PN media for making associations between the MLP and the dismissal of the GWU officials while George Abela filed libel suits against the GWU media officer and l-orizzont's editor over a statement on the matter.