Port workers to quit GWU en masse

The majority of the General Workers' Union's port workers, traditionally one of the union's most important strongholds, are expected to hand in their resignation in the coming days.

Port workers' foremen have already left the GWU for the Union Haddiema Maghqudin.

During a heated three-hour meeting at the St Sebastian parish hall in Qormi yesterday afternoon, port workers decided they would register a new union.

A day after the entire executive committee of the GWU's maritime and aviation section, including section secretary Emmanuel Zammit, resigned, the port workers' meeting was held behind closed doors though vociferous interventions could be heard throughout.

Joe Saliba, the maritime and aviation section's former president, told reporters workers had decided to quit because of the union's administration interference which undermined the section's work and autonomy.

The workers had also decided that George Abela, the former Malta Labour Party deputy leader and former GWU legal adviser, would be their consultant in a new union.

"Interference started when the administration prevented us from meeting at the Workers' Memorial Building simply because we wanted Dr Abela to represent us. It is clear we can no longer work within the GWU structures," Mr Saliba said.

Out of the 207 workers who attended the meeting, 160 declared they wanted to leave the GWU for the new union led by Dr Abela, he added. Workers who could not make it for yesterday's meeting would be mobilised in the coming days in a bid to convince the majority of the section's 364 members to resign from the GWU and join the new union.

Mr Saliba said that when the GWU council voted in favour of sacking former GWU public service section secretary Josephine Attard Sultana he had not been allowed into the meeting despite being a council member.

Asked what role would Mr Zammit have in the new union, Mr Saliba said the matter still had to be decided.

Replying to questions sent by The Times, the GWU acknowledged it had known about yesterday's meeting. It said that on Monday the administration contacted Mr Zammit to enquire about rumours doing the rounds that there would be a meeting on Wednesday wherein workers would be asked to choose between the GWU and Dr Abela.

"Mr Zammit denied having known anything about the meeting," the GWU press office said.

The GWU is now expected to call an extraordinary general meeting for section delegates so that new officials and executive members could be appointed. The secretary will also be elected during the meeting.