GWU executive resigns

The General Workers' Union has been hit by yet another resignation, this time in its commercial wing.

Charles Mizzi, who for the past three and a half years chaired the boards of Untours Insurance and Untours Travel Ltd, has stepped down saying he had been ridiculed by the union's President Salvu Sammut and deputy secretary general Geitu Mercieca.

Mr Mizzi said he felt that certain insinuations against him were a smokescreen as he always acted with integrity. When leading the disciplinary board in the case of a GWU shop steward accused of leaking information to the Nationalist media, whom the GWU wanted sacked, he resisted pressure and gave a different judgement "than was expected of him by some."

"Hence I became victim of a campaign of vendetta because I acted according to my conscience. But more facts about this will emerge in due course," he said.

Last year, the GWU was hit by the resignations of section secretaries Karmenu Vella and Manwel Zammit who resigned following the controversial sacking of another section secretary, Josephine Attard Sultana. This sacking is being contested before the industrial tribunal.

"I spent 39 long years working for GWU-owned companies, and most of my career was spent leading the Union Press and Ritescan. But there's a time when you say enough is enough. I was simply a part-time chairman who gave more than what an executive chairman does and after all I did to turn around the two Untours companies, they tried to tarnish my reputation by choosing confrontation and staging a show. Instead of ironing out things in a board meeting as a company should do, they went before the council.

"Their ploy was foiled as they did not have it their way, but I feel hurt and will not give them another chance," he told The Times.

In a five-page letter of resignation submitted to GWU secretary general Tony Zarb by hand yesterday morning, Mr Mizzi said he was resigning both from chairman of Untours Insurance Agents Ltd and Untours Travel Ltd as well as from the board of directors of both companies and from the Industrial Tribunal, where he represented the GWU.

"It is shameful that no one from the union administration, which decided to introduce a motion against me in the union's council, opted to contact me and inform me about the alleged shortcomings on my part and I only got to know about them through the media.

"This only shows that the intention was to undermine my integrity and ridicule me. But whoever concocted this frame-up failed to take into consideration that people know who I am...," Mr Mizzi said.

"It is with satisfaction that I note that the mud they tried to hurl at me stuck on their hands and faces, as hundreds of people contacted me to express solidarity...," he wrote.

"A commercial company has to be run according to rules laid down by the MFSA and Mr Mercieca and Mr Sammut had no right to call an extraordinary general meeting... to discuss what they claimed to be shortcomings or abuse.

"The four-hour long council meeting, one of the longest in the union's history, did not reach the conclusion that I was at fault. But I was not even given the opportunity to give my version and answer any questions. I was even told that my request to be present was going to be turned down.

"These facts go against basic human rights and it is rather ironic that they were committed within the building of the General Workers' Union. I was always taught, and preached, that the union was a shield for workers. But today I sadly ask: Is this the union? Is this today's General Workers' Union?

"You know that the allegations made by the two administration officials are weak and you yourself declared that I did nothing wrong," Mr Mizzi told Mr Zarb in his letter.

Mr Mizzi said the progress in both companies was registered thanks to the cooperation of the board of directors, which included union officials Michael Parnis and Roberto Christiano.

"I took decisions that were not always popular but this is part of the responsibility I shouldered," Mr Mizzi wrote.

"The one posing as an investigator discovered the so-called abuse because the board of directors decided that I should get paid for the work and expenses incurred to draw up new plans Untours needed. But recently I started finding out that I was operating in a confused environment. Mr Sammut told me he was happy with the way things were being run as results were evident and during the annual general meeting, you, as the representative of the shareholders, expressed your satisfaction that things were going well and wanted this to be included in the minutes," Mr Mizzi told Mr Zarb.

"But a few weeks later, Mr Sammut uncovered the abuse that I was being paid an honorarium amounting to less than the salary of a clerk and that I was using the company's credit card for certain expenses.

"I had stopped the system of paying cash and all expenses were paid under the accountant's supervision. Whenever I used the credit card for personal use, I always reimbursed the money straight away."

In a three-paragraph letter in reply to Mr Mizzi, Mr Zarb said he was sorry the letter of resignation was sent after the case about Mr Mizzi's remuneration was discussed at the council.

Mr Zarb said he was also sorry that allegations were made against "two colleagues in the administration", adding these reserved the right to reply or take action at the opportune moment.

He added he was "confused" that Mr Mizzi mentioned the disciplinary case against Raymond Zammit and failed to see the connection with his resignation from Untours.

"I am stunned you are mentioning this now and that you never mentioned this before. This lessens your credibility," Mr Zarb concluded.

Contacted about this, Mr Mizzi said he did not want to wage a war against the GWU. "I am not surprised they are confused, but I will say more about these things in the appropriate place and time," Mr Mizzi said.