New union wins recognition from National Orchestra

The Professional and Services Employees Union has been awarded official recognition by the National Orchestra management to represent orchestra musicians, the union said.

The recognition was awarded after it was established that the union had the majority of musicians as members.

The PSEU was set up last September by Karmenu Vella, the former secretary of the General Workers' Union's Services and Media section together with a group of employees from the Casa Leone XII home for the elderly of St Julians.

Both the home employees and musicians with the National Orchestra used to be members of the GWU's Services and Media section when this was led by Mr Vella before he resigned on September 1.

The majority of musicians with the National Orchestra had resigned from the GWU on October 25 and joined the PSEU, the union said.

In a statement, the GWU said that at a meeting yesterday musicians in the National Orchestra who are GWU members affirmed their intention to continue to be represented by the GWU in appreciation of the work the union section was doing on their behalf.

The GWU added that on its part the section expressed its commitment not only to push forward its members' proposals on a personal and collective level but also to see what other proposals could be made for the good of the National Orchestra itself.

The affiliation of the members of the National Orchestra in the International Federation of Musicians was also discussed during the meeting. Members agreed that through the GWU they would continue to participate in the European social dialogue between the employers and the workers in the musical field.

At the meeting, the musicians also appointed their new shop steward.

Meanwhile the PSEU said that a number of immigration officers employed at Malta International Airport and of Bank of Valletta employees joined the union.

Mr Vella said the union has requested Godwin Grima, the head of the civil service, to recognise the PSEU as one of the unions that represent the immigration officers.

The union will also be seeking such recognition at an introductory meeting with BOV on Friday.

The PSEU's statute lays down that each of its members should be registered with the Department for Industrial Relations and Employment.