Harbour pilots' strike leaves ships stranded

Three ships were yesterday left stranded outside Grand Harbour for four hours during a strike by maritime pilots ordered by the Union Haddiema Maghqudin.

Explaining the action, UHM secretary general Gejtu Vella said the union had organised pilots into a co-operative to increase efficiency in the ports. Pilots were also willing to assume responsibility for the pilot launches and discussions with the Malta Maritime Authority had been held.

The talks were concluded in about the third week of October but since then the Malta Maritime Authority had failed to communicate further with the union, Mr Vella said. The original agreement on tariffs had expired 18 months ago.

Letters sent to the MMA at the end of October and November had fallen on deaf ears.

"The union warned twice that the MMA was forcing them to take industrial action. I don't understand this intransigence from the MMA. After all, as far as we are aware, we reached an agreement," Mr Vella said.

"If the MMA remains stubborn, we will have no option but to order more actions," Mr Vella said.

Efforts to obtain a reaction from the Malta Maritime Authority failed.