Ills of fragmentation

Manuel Micallef's piece (September 8) is yet another attempt by the defeated ex-deputy secretary general of the GWU to increase fragmentation in the Maltese trade union movement.

From his seat of new employment as human resources manager at Go Mobile, Mr Micallef has placed himself as prophet of future trade union happenings. I am not going to indulge in the merits and demerits of what happened lately in the GWU but in Mr Micallef's case he was not elected as secretary general of the GWU by a vast majority of the union's delegates.

After years as deputy secretary general of the GWU, Mr Micallef is pointing his guns not only at the union he knows best, the GWU, but also at the other general union he does not know, the independent Union Haddiema Maghqudin. Mr Micallef, in the last paragraph of his piece, sees the future of trade unions in a confederation "of various specialised and house unions" which would "abhor partisan interference" and "focusing on the strength of quality rather than quantity". And this is where Mr Micallef is on ground that is foreign to him.

He does not know the internal makings of the UHM, especially how UHM general council members arrive at policy on trade union matters. Having been a general council member for over 23 years, I can state that no partisan interference or consideration ever entered into any of our decisions. Our way of action has always been in the best interests of the workers.

On the other hand, the UHM has also invested in quality so that issues can be tackled in a professional way.

By his direct and indirect calls for trade union fragmentation, Mr Micallef is doing a disservice to trade union solidarity. These calls will also bring much ills to our country.