Dockers' union set up

The Malta Dockers' Union was officially registered yesterday with 312 port workers who are still members of the General Workers' Union but who plan to resign shortly, Joe Saliba, the president of the new trade union said.

The port workers formed their own union because they had decided they could no longer remain within the GWU when they realised it was not what they decided that mattered but what the union administration or council decided, Mr Saliba who is the former president of the GWU's port workers section, said.

"This situation was putting us in an awkward position. We were discussing the port reform with the government's negotiating team but deep down we knew that those we were negotiating with knew it was not what we were saying that counted but that others who had other interests could overrule what we were agreeing on," Mr Saliba said.

The entire committee of the GWU port workers' section, including section secretary Emanuel Zammit, resigned last week.

Their resignation came after the removal of Josephine Attard Sultana and Francis Buttigieg, section secretary and president of the public service section respectively. These two officials were sacked by the GWU after the union's council approved a motion for their dismissal.

Karmenu Vella, secretary of the GWU's media and professional services section, and 22 delegates including his executive committee, also resigned last week.

Mr Saliba said the new union was open to all port workers and different sections would be set up to look after the interests of particular workers.

"This is not a house union, but a fully fletched port workers' union. Everyone is welcome to join and each section will be guaranteed to have its autonomy. The sections will support each other if the need arises but it will be the section that will look after its members' interests," he said.

Shortly after the announcement that the union had been registered, nine tally clerks who were also members of the GWU joined it.

Mr Saliba said the authorities have been informed about the formation of the new union which requested sole recognition. There are 360 port workers in all and the new union already has 85 per cent of all port workers, he added.

"More would join us soon as they have shown an interest but have not taken the decisive step yet," he said.

Contacts were already made internationally to obtain affiliation with other port workers' unions.

George Abela will be the new union's legal adviser and Mr Vella assisted the new union by drawing up the statute. Mr Zammit is also assisting the interim committee.

"Port workers always had faith in me and if proof is needed of this is that they have sought my services again after I left the GWU," Mr Zammit said.

Asked to explain the defection of the port workers' foremen to the Union Haddiema Maghqudin, Mr Zammit said that when the union administration demanded an explanation why the foremen had left the GWU, he had spoken to their shop steward who replied that their only problem was with the GWU administration, not with him.

Dr Abela said there was a sense of urgency in setting up the union because the port reform talks had to continue. "We all know how sensitive the ports are and we don't want any spanners in the works," he said.

The GWU issued a statement signed by the remaining section secretaries and by the Gozo representative and representatives of youths and pensioners, vowing they would remain within the union.

"Not only did they promise to continue working within the GWU but they also said they had no problems with the union administration," the statement said.