Dockyard early retirement schemes discussed

philip pace

Jul 29th 2008, 06:49

Welcome to the circus,
The Dockyard workers face a massive dilemma. Either they retire on certain preset conditions of which they can't discuss or they are not guaranteed a job if they disregard early retirement and decide to stay at the Drydocks. What a nice choice!
The so called experts are in the opinion that to manage 5 docks you need between 1000 to 1250 workers. We love to quote experts and we would love to see the same experts trying to manage that by donning a boilersuit, work on ships and in workshops.
I really wonder who these 'incognito' experts are? Ex-Dockyard workers or some bright young sparks or somebody preparing the field for the privatisation?
In this world where money is the true god one can never tell as money somewhat produces miracles.
History is repeating itself as a similar option was offered in 2003 and the Dockyard emptied itself by the very skilled Dockyard tradesman etc.
Five years later the same option re appears but with a wicked twist.
What a brilliant idea to sell the Dockyard in a very sordid and cheap way!
A nice choice!

Renato J. Costigan

Jul 28th 2008, 21:41

Dear Minister Dr. Tonio Fenech,
I am an ex-MDD worker whom I finished in 2003 together
with 900 others. Please Mr. Minister don't REPEAT the same
mistake of the other schemes. Out of those 900 only 2 managers
were made redundant. All the other managers remained at
their job. Not only, but for some of them had even two promotions.
I'm saying a quote in maltese. Last time the management
'Qered l'ghanqbuta imma halla l-brimba'
and everyone knows what happened. Don't let history repeat itself.
Thank you.

Stephen Forster

Jul 28th 2008, 20:57

Give the purchaser of the shipyards carte blanche to pick and choose from the 1700+ workers who to keep using a skills analysis and personal interview approach.

After that all the ex-employees not chosen can be redeployed amongst all the the other 40,000 government "employees" doing their second jobs anyway!

Gerald Fenech

Jul 28th 2008, 19:40

Probably another IPSL will be created. And this is a governemnt who in days of yore used to speak out against id-Dejma, Dirghajn il-Maltin and Pijunieri. All of a sudden the yard will have to lose 1000 workers or even more. How's that for increasing the unemployed figures?

Lewis Balzan

Jul 28th 2008, 19:07

On the one hand we have the EU statistics telling us that our percentage of gainfully occupied in the 50 to 64 age bracket is one of the worst amongst all EU countries. And on the other hand we have the Government giving incentives to increase this number. Nafu x'ahna naghmlu, jew?

Randolph Spiteri

Jul 28th 2008, 17:30

I wouldn't want to be in these people's shoes. It's not nice knowing that your company is declared unprofitable so to speak. However, the government is sending out mixed messages. On one hand it is forcing people to work beyond the age of 61, and also encouraging further employment without loosing any pension after retirement, while on the other hand it is dishing out early retirement schemes like there was no tomorrow. Please look around you : This country desperately needs scores of hands in taking care of the maintenance of our roads and of our environment in general. Couldn't we have some sort of re-training period followed by at least part-time employment ? Didn't we pay the dockyard enough out of our taxes ? Do we now have to watch them enjoy their golden handshake taken again from our taxes ? If not, can I please have the same treatment if the company I work for has surplus workers ??

d.attard

Jul 28th 2008, 17:01

Beats all logic. What if an investor comes up wanting to hold on to all the 1700? to specific skills that would have been paid off? What is guiding Government as to the number of pay-offs? How will Government know if it is to offload 300, 700, 900, 1200 etc? What skills will it taget to retain if the yard will be taken over by a new investor who will have own businessplan? How would Government's action fit within the plan?

Can not make heads or tails out of this move