Let's work together, shipyards tell GWU

Malta Shipyards Ltd (MSL) said yesterday the selective marketing proposed by the General Workers' Union had been taking place for the past five years.

The GWU insisted on Tuesday the shipyards could be turned into a viable concern and called for a plan to maximise the use of capital and labour.

MSL said it had diversified into new sectors such as offshore and super yachts and, although traditional ship repair should be given importance, it could never again be the yard's main activity as Malta was no longer competitive in this area.

It said the issue of low productivity could be addressed if the GWU worked with management. It pointed out that the collective agreement contemplated full flexibility and where this was not the case it was because of resistance from certain categories of workers.

The management said that financial controls existed and would continue to be exerted. The shipyards' business plan covered a capital investment of Lm10 million over a five-year period. And Lm1.7 million were being spent this year.

It appealed to the union to join its effort to bring about a culture change.