GWU hopes to hold conciliation meeting

The General Workers Union is hoping to hold a conciliation meeting later today or early tomorrow in the hope of resolving the case of seven shipyard workers who have been suspended.

The union has invited the Director of Labour for this meeting and has threatened to take industrial action if the workers are not reinstated tomorrow.

At a press conference yesterday, union section secretary Charles Agius said the workers caught sleeping on the job had been overworked.

He added that the shipyard's management had gone against the EU's working directive by pushing them to work 16 hours straight from 2.30 p.m. to 6 a.m. One employee had even worked from 7 a.m. to 5.30 p.m. and again from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m.

Mr Agius insisted that the seven workers, suspended a week ago on half pay until the disciplinary board hears the case, were accused of breaching Clause 46 of the collective agreement.

This clause deals with "idleness, loitering or skiving on the place of work during normal time or overtime. Management may choose to penalise employees by means of ticket as per Clause 90 or else submit offender to disciplinary procedures".

Mr Agius pointed out that suspending workers was not mentioned in this clause, since Clause 36 dealt with suspension.

"We are not saying these workers should not be disciplined, but suspension is unacceptable. We cannot understand why this matter has escalated when there were more serious matters where the minister never interfered," he said.

"We are appealing to the shipyard chairman (John Cassar White) to ensure he's not being used as a political pawn in the hands of those who may have ulterior motives."