Give 'yard workers a real choice, says Labour leader

Shipyards workers should be given the option to join IPSL if they do not opt for an early retirement scheme, Labour Leader Joseph Muscat said yesterday.

IPSL is a public company that had absorbed workers from the restructuring of Malta Drydocks and Malta Shipbuilding prior to EU membership. These workers perform services in the public sector such as embellishment works for local councils.

When the last restructuring of the 'yards was carried out in 2003, the workers could choose to stay on, opt for early retirement or join IPSL.

Describing IPSL as a success story, Dr Muscat said his proposal would give workers a real choice because, as things stand now, workers have only been given a Hobson's choice: Either accept the retirement schemes or the shipyards would go bankrupt and shut down.

Asked whether this meant he was backing the idea that the 1,000 "extra" employees be redeployed in the Civil Service, Dr Muscat said this issue involved no more than 400 workers.

Dr Muscat was speaking during a meeting with the General Workers' Union a day after the government announced four schemes offered to the 1,627 shipyard workers who are on an indefinite contract. This exercise will cost a maximum of €49 million if all the workers were to subscribe to the schemes.

Malta Shipyards was in a dire situation because of a lack of serious planning and a lack of accountability in the implementation of restructuring plans, which were not given enough impetus, Dr Muscat said.

While stating that the government was failing to honour its electoral promise not to downsize the shipyards, Dr Muscat said it had not taken up the MLP's suggestion for a common front on national issues such as the shipyards and the situation at ST Microelectronics.

The MLP, as a representative of the workers and taxpayers, was expecting answers to several questions it had asked, such as who was responsible for the losses made by the 'yards on two contracts, each worth €50 million. The party expected a full investigation into this, adding that this should not, however, stall the privatisation process.

The party was also questioning why the 'yards had been engaging foreign instead of Maltese workers.

Furthermore, he asked for an explanation on the talks between the government and two companies from Singapore and another from Norway that had shown an interest in the 'yards. Was there already a preferred bidder? he asked.

Dr Muscat said the party also wondered how the government had come to the conclusion about the number of workers the 'yards needed to shed prior to privatisation.The government wants to reduce the workforce to less than 700.

He described the shipyards as a "national asset" that had to be protected. Had the MLP been in office, it would have tackled the situation differently. The restructuring needed to form part of the regeneration of Grand Harbour with strict deadlines for the creation of a new maritime industry.

"The MLP is all for privatisation and joint ventures with the private sector based on European best practices. It does not want retired workers but workers with important skills to remain on the labour market and be productive.

"The government is simply throwing money at the problem, giving workers funds to be quiet and stay home. It is solving one problem while creating another 10. It has to lead by example," he said.

Dr Muscat urged the GWU to safeguard workers' interests while keeping in mind the national well-being.

Speaking to The Times after the meeting, GWU general secretary Tony Zarb said the meeting with the Labour leader, who was accompanied by deputy leaders Anġlu Farrugia and Toni Abela as well as Labour MP Helena Dalli, was "fruitful".

The MLP was supporting the GWU in its endeavours to achieve the best possible outcome for the workers and was on its wavelength, he said.

Asked about the general feeling among workers, Mr Zarb said there were three groups: those who wanted the voluntary retirement scheme, those who prefer to stay at Malta Shipyards and another group that was undecided.