Thursday, 14th August 2008
Next stop Castille, Zarb warns
Former Malta Drydocks council chairman Sammy Meilaq addressing shipyard workers in Poala, yesterday.
A militant Tony Zarb yesterday warned the government that if it does not invite the General Workers' Union to further talks on the situation at Malta Shipyards, it would find the union and all the workers behind the doors of Castille.
Addressing hundreds of shipyard workers in Paola, the union's general secretary threatened further action over the future of the shipyards. He stressed that the union does not want to disrupt the yards' privatisation process or the early retirement schemes being offered, but it could not agree to the schemes unless the government guarantees employment for those workers who wish to retain their jobs.
Earlier this month, the GWU called on the workers not to subscribe to the schemes if this demand is not met. The union on Tuesday also claimed that a clause in the international call for expressions of interest in the shipyards is illegal because it states that buyers will not be obliged to take on any of the current employees.
The union chief yesterday acknowledged the presence of, among others, Labour leader Joseph Muscat and his two predecessors Alfred Sant and Karmenu Mifsud Bonnici. To loud applause, he said their presence meant a lot to the union and to the workers. Labour MPs Anthony Agius Decelis and Stefan Buontempo, deputy leaders Toni Abela and Anġlu Farrugia and former president Manwel Cuschieri were among those seen in the crowd.
Mr Zarb said the government had deceived them when, before the election, it had promised it would not downsize. "Dr Gonzi... we expect you to keep your promises. Castille is yours but the roads are ours. We want a solution and we are optimistic that you will finally understand the GWU," he said angrily, in contrast to a rather placid appearance the previous day when he addressed shipyard workers in Cospicua.
"The GWU wants justice. First we met in Għajn Dwieli, now we have met in Paola and soon we will be on the streets of Valletta... the ball is in your court, Mr Prime Minister. You either call us for a meeting to discuss the situation at the Malta Shipyards or else we will come to Castille ourselves with the workers."
Addressing a little girl holding a placard that read "My daddy wants work", Mr Zarb said that was exactly what the union was demanding: guaranteed employment for 'yard workers.
Referring to a comment by Finance Minister Tonio Fenech, who was continuously booed at the mention of his name, Mr Zarb said the privatisation of the shipyards would not turn out to be like that of Sea Malta, when the government had blamed the union for its liquidation after failure to reach agreement. Try to do that and you will see what will happen in this country, he warned.
Mr Zarb also spoke about the Fairmount contract, saying the union expected the Labour Party in opposition to bring the case before the House Public Accounts Committee so that it will be investigated and the people responsible held accountable.
The shipyard itself had commissioned a firm of auditors to investigate a ship conversion contract entered into with Fairmount Heavy Lift, after finding itself in a "disadvantageous contractual and legal position". The union claims tens of millions of euro have been lost on the contract, blaming it on mismanagement.
Mr Zarb said that judging by the government's attitude, one wondered whether it was the government that wanted privatisation to fail, so that it could then allow land speculation to take place by "friends of friends".
Former Malta Drydocks council chairman Sammy Meilaq also spoke, delivering an even more militant speech than Mr Zarb's. He warned that they were prepared to topple the government (nisfrundawk) if they did not get what they were asking for.
Mr Meilaq also questioned the figure of 700 workers being mentioned by the government as the targeted number of employees - downsizing from the present 1,600. He said that with the number of men from Bulgaria and the Philippines who are carrying out work at the 'yards, the shipyard could operate with just 70 Maltese.
Section secretary Paul Bugeja said that even before the Fairmount contracts had been awarded, the 'yard workers knew that would be "the beginning of the end" of the Maltese shipyards. He said the losses the 'yard suffered due to these contracts were being subsidised by people's taxes.
Comments
I spent 16 years working at Maltapost, and when that got privatised, I had every right to revert back to public services, without losing a cent from my pay cheque. Maltacxom workers were also guaranteed a job, albeit on a 3 year guarantee.
That is one of the reasons why II believe Dock workers are being discriminated against.
Is this the earthquake that you promised the Maltese people? Your earthquake, Dr. Muscat, is beginning to sound, and smell, more like the rectal expulsion of flatulent gases from an over-burdened digestive system.
It seems to me that the "new MLP" is merely a re-run of the same old MLP farce - the same old stuff. The more things "change", the more they stay the same. The actors change, but it's the same old script - threatening and doing violence as a means to achieve their goals. Until the MLP renounces its violent past, apologises to the nation for the beatings, arsons, vandalism, and other crimes that they committed; and until they demonstrate by deed, not by words alone, that they intend to behave as in a civilised manner, they are undeserving of taking the reins of government in Malta.
The truth is that ever since Alfred Sant was nominated as leader, Labour more than done its fair share to eradicate violent elements within. This was even confirmed by various Pn leaders.
There were more promotions than those mentioned, and if you read independent papers like malta today, you will realise that some of those mentioned are actually benefiting from Government contracts. I have even interviewed a person from Zejtun, whose son was almost blinded, and both of them were not allowed to vote in 1987. One of his most painful admitions is that yes, the police he reported to and refused to take steps were still in the force not too long ago.
I can talk forever with someone like you, who I believe has his heart in the right place but is forever scarred against the Labour Party through personal events. Sadly I can state that I know Labour Party supporters who are in an identical situation vis a vie the Nationalist Party.
However, this is not the issue here. The issue is whether the decisions being taken with regards to the Dockyars are in the best interest.
At whose expense? the Taxpayer of course which is why the Government made such an emphasis to improve its taxation instruments over the last five years to continue forking out taxpayers money to an army of workers who have done nothing but fleece this nation dry.
Is this part of the accountability promised prior to last election? Are we to continue to be held at ransom by the dock workers and Tony Zarb? Do redundancies in the private sector get retirement schemes? Does anyone have any idea what this is going to cost the Nation?
And at whose expense? The taxpayer of course.... Is this why the self-employed was persecuted so discriminatingly over these last years... to finance paying off the drydocks?
So long for accountability!!!!
The fact is that there are employees of Malta Shipyards that are excluded from the schemes because they have a definite contract and when their contract expires they will end up without a job.
Please remember that on 7th December the government made an agreement with UHM where 1300 civil servants with a definite contract where given an indefinite contract. The agreement applied to government workers and civil servants who were on definite contract, even in cases where the four obligatory years have not been covered. The fact is that both these civil servants and shipyards employees are employed by the same government of Malta.
So please can some one gives me a valid reason why these employees where given the status of indefine contract while Malta Shipyards workers were excluded? Can government discriminate between his employees?
I actually did most of my research at the PN headquarters with the help of Dionne Galea (I think that s his surname anyway).
What happened then was despicable, however, what happened after, when some perpetrators were even promoted is just as despicable.
The sad thing is that in Malta, a Catholic island., both sets of supporters can claim to being discriminated, hit etc...
If you read earlier blogs, you will realise that even in my regard, some people have tried to get personal.Thats the way the Maltese are made..Mhemmx x taghmel!
It is sad that in such an issue, it is obvious that it is the Nazzjonalisti against everyone else.
As to my blogs, I think I have made my points clear with a set of unanswered questions. Lets keep the discussion focused.
But seriously..wasn't the discussion supposed to be the shipyards?
the maltese people for all these years they pumped all this money ,without any trace of progress.When there is going to be a real change in the GWU.We are not living in the 80,s now. The taxpayers gave more than enough to the drydocks, after all we all knew that tha ship building was a white elephant, but mintoff wanted to go ahead with his project.
We are still tasting his mistakes,after all it was the union that organised all those political strikes in the past, for the simple reason to let the labour party win the coming ellection.
Gone are the days for sammy and company to dictate our future, and as Mr, zarb once said,
ENOUGH IS ENOUGH
In the real world, commercial enterprises that chronically keep losing money go out of business. This is not to say that we should not be compassionate with those who are affected. After all, they are our neighbours and friends, even family members. But enough is enough. Mr Zarb wants to have it both ways. He wants to keep open an enterprise that is financially bleeding Malta, yet he complains about taxes - the very same taxes that are subsidising this drain on Malta's economy.
To get his way, Mr. Zarb then dares to threaten violence against the very nation and people that have been signing the pay cheques of his members. That is not the way to win the support from those who evaluate this situation without any political prejudice.
Let us say, that you were a prospective buyer, and you read all these blogs about no future and the like, would you get involved?
Now, lets say, that an independent enquiry pointed out that what Sammy was saying, in that the losses incurred were due to bad management, and even possible fraud, wouldn't that change the whole scenario,making privatisation even easier and more profitable?
It is just so easy to make a blank, unproven statement as to the fact that all the losses are due to inefficiency from the worker's part.
If, however, this IS proven, in a truly, independent enquiy however, then I shall have to eat humble pie, say I was wrong and move on.
Yes i agree that an enquiry about how funds are spent is conducted by someone who is responsible enough to make such reports clear. Don't mix problems with each other. Do you agree that we have pushed alot of funds to make MDD efficient? Did you notice that it's a failure? Why keep fuelling a sinking ship?
And I think it is only shameful for those who claim to love democracy to utter such a statement. In turn, have you forgotten the 000s of lost man hours by dockyard workers doing the rounds of Malta in years gone by?????????????????????????????
Which other single entity had workers doing the same thing, can I ask you???????????????
Contrary to your good self, I have always written as I felt that I should write, never allowing myself to be politically blinded: whenever I wrote to criticise the Nationalists, I did it with as much gusto as I did in criticising the Labour Party. (Most recently, the Co-Cathedral saga!).
When I write one way, ppl scream that I belong to 'the other side', and the contrary!
I suggest that you take a leaf out of my book and try do the same.
Don't tell me that they're still serving on the force?
Hope that none of thhose accused of police brutality are getting paid by Government contracts awarded by the PN before the last election!!!
In whatever we do in life we always reap what we sow. If today we are reaping a bankcrupt workplace then in the past employees, from cleaners to CEOs, did not give a fruitful input.
The MDD situation in today reflects this very clearly. Government, time and again sowed cash, millions of it, but the workforce (all of it) did not use it properly.
I claim ignorance about the Faimount deal being blamed for the MDDs state but presume that had all the funds input over the years been used wisely MDD would have absorbed this loss, surely it is not so big as to wipe a healthy company off the industiral map.
MDD workers your are being offered the last few seeds, take them, sow them, cultivate them properly so your reaping will be fruitful. If the GWU truly has the workers interest at heart then it should be advising just this. Confrontation will only leave you empty handed.
However, whilsty you're at it, and since we have so many amateur historians around, lets say that in any strike, people who do not agree with the strike should have every right to work...Without having their 15 year old daughter blown to bits.....but then again, Karen Grch was never that important for you fols....l-aghar li mar iz ziju!
As for A Brincat..Don;t know if I should answer in English or Maltese...well, since it is an english newspaper, sorry A Brincat.....
Once again, YOU'RE the expert, you're the one who knows the dark secrets of the human race...so enlighten us.....please....we're begging you.......as to the midhla sew t'hemm...Yes..I am actually...and proud to say so...better than to be midhla in some shady organisation with backstabbing in mind....Sliem lilek ukoll.....(I hope that the last three words wer'nt the only ones you got)
Having read your last entry, I understood how some people can deny the Holocaust and Stalin's purges!
I have swallowed the tear gas in Floriana, Tal-Barrani and Rabat (all times fired bt the Police), I've seen the police joining the criminals in beating us. If you say that it's not true, you should be ashamed of yourself.
Shame on you.
I didint knew that you are, the Rambo hero lol,
ok hero You got the job !!!
Fairfont Ford??----------yes why not, open an inquiry and if it results that things where done badly than those responsible should also be criticised, whether its a Pn Minister or not...........and yes the management of the MDD has failed the company too so when I say workers I dont mean only those who support Tony like jeremy.....
Charles-----Thanks for the advice......duly noted!!
Now you can count me in on your attacks !!!!!
I don’t know you personally but I support your arguments 100% .
To the others if you quote the 70s and 80s why don’t you remember that at that time the Mintoff government was under attack but some cheap terrorist . They stopped terrorising us all when they got what they wanted >>> the government ( the POWER )
As you say all , if you break the law you must pay for your deeds . My dear A.C.G you think that just for reading a lousy news paper one will pass everything you said . With all respect check the whole story for good !! There were lots and lots of this brainwashing story and if you can count them it will surpass the number of copies sold of that news paper !!!!
Dear Jeremy J Camilleri these so called bloggers when they lose an argument will always resort to the old tales, brainwashing and personal attacks . So we can just let them be and make a good laugh !!
I understand with all respect ,that the yard workers are no special.
It is sad that people like Tony Zarb, Sammy Meilaq etc have one answer: violence, threats, militancy. Is this how these people resolve issues or move forward? Come to the UK Mr Zarb - it was a Labour Government just a few years ago which did not subsidise Rover, GM, BAE, and other big British industries. British Airways, like many airlines around the world are shedding thousands of jobs because of lower demand, global economic slowdown and the artificially high price of oil. How would Mr Zarb react if he worked for BA? What Mr Zarb should do is take stock, be sensible, and behave in a civilised manner and learn how other countries, Governments and companies dealt with job losses.
As for my earlier attempts to ask some LOGICAL questions and get a LOGICAL disucssion going...well...I thought they were really simple straightforward questions...imma milli jidher...qas tal-airconditioner ma jafu jwegbuhom.
As for A.Brincat..well..he's an expert at harping on the same strings.... and now that we've used some native lingo...and even got cows involved...kif jghidu..Il-baqra milli jkollha ttik...
Anki l-eta tkixxiftu issa..Kif qed issalbuni..haha
As for mr GaucHi Cunningham..I knew you'd bite..so here goes..I can afford spelling mistakes..I'm lower class you see. I can only perform menial labour jahasra! : O)
As for your family member...I just knew something personal was involved...and here we were thinking that you were bringing up logical arguments...Lets talk about the situation today...you'll soon be talking about Interdett and Pn trying to make an official strike illegal next...(yes, history doesn't stop in 1980 you see).
But, and this is in all true seriousness...if your Uncle did suffer discrimination, it is indeed a sad part of our history. Discrimination is a way of life here..I should know..My father suffered discrimination under a PN government, and I was refused overtime within a government owned company. My case occured in 2007.
The scope of these blogs is not to open up on personal experiences, even though most of you have really tried to imply alleged knowledge to scare me off
L-istorja la tinbidel u lanqas tmut. Staqsi wahda fejn qed tahdem. Hemmhekk zgur jghidulek jekk huma tassew onesti (sic)!!! peress li inti midhla sewwa t'hemm!
Nikkwota "Mela...for the benefit of J Sultana...I do not have a paid position in the union, but go there happily on a voluntary basis...been doing that for ages Dear J Sultana.....even availing myself to vacation leave...I thought you would have known that.....".
IsSliem habib!
Anki l-eta tkixxiftu issa..Kif qed issalbuni..haha
Jeremy, I suggest that you have to think more before putting pen to paper, habib!
Tinsa malajr habib. Insejt meta l-Ministru John Dalli kien siefer minhabba Sammy Meilaq? Inhalli lilek biex tiftakar x'kien gara? Memorja qasira? Insomma, il-poplu Malti in generali, jafha l-istorja sewwa!
Joseph Abdilla------threatened and marginalised from the rest, made his life at work impossible and to make it worse was not paid Lm3,000 worth of OVERTIME which he got thanks to our Courts of Justice and the help of the UHM and the PN.............and why?? Because he read In-Nazzjon Taghna!!!!
...thats what Sammy gave workers, thats what that screaming, violent "trade Unionist" meant for my family, thats what my uncle got from the GWU................and now you come screaming blue murder as if the Union doesn't have most of the blame for all the pastazati that took place at this Mintoffian white elephant over the years
....its not about class Jeremy its about expectations...........and I expect the state to stop milking a dead cow.........period..........
I would suggest to continue to clap your hands and harp on the same string, and I can guarantee you that you will remain happy and carry big smiles all the way.
As always - SOUR GRAPES.
Sleep well and good night too.
P.S. Happy Assumption Feast.
A. Brincat
....seems like jeremy , the guy who makes a pig's feast in calling everyone blinfolded and PN minions, has spent a whole day examining every word and letter on these Blogs "tal-hodor" and reacting to every opinion..........
I repeat what I've said in my previous blog that if I or the thousands who work with Private sector were faced with the same prospect as the Drydocks workers we would not have any of these mass rallies, savage threats to stop the country and the last three leaders of the Opposition party supporting us.........we've been working tooth and nail to get what is ours by right, not some scheme worth thousands mind you, not some guarantee of perpetual employment with some Public entity, not some right not be fired after being caught sleeping.....but our basic rights............we are moving and slowly so and we are very impatient nonetheless we did not threaten the govt. so as to satisfy our bitter apetite of seeing our Opponents crumble ( to no use) ........we do things with less drama Jeremy!!
I am afraid that you are missing the whole issue.
The issue is about shipyards and not about the company you work for.
No body is asking for any subsidies and perhaps you can guide whoever read your comment how you came up with such a conclusion.
The issue about the workers caught sleeping was dealt between union and management. Actions were taken.
You liked to mention such a minor issue and you do not seem interested in the Fairmount Projects that left the yard with millions of Maltese Liri in losses. All of us as tax payers had to make good for it. This is not to mention most of the major projects that this government was responsible for that were delayed and costed much more than one can justify. In these contracts private companies were responsible for the work and government as the client representing us!! This is a form of subsidies as well that some private companies benefit from.
As for union not defending you...shame on them! You were a member and they did not try to defend you! How could day? tsk tsk....
Of course, I would never believe that a person like you, so conscientous could turn out to be a freerider, expecting an organisation you do not form a part of to defend you!
As for who to believe regarding THIS matter, I am sure that you are updated on the facts of the dockyard issue. If not, and you really are so bothered at the amount of taxes paid and money lost, I suggest you back the union with regards its call for an independent enquiry.
Then you complain about the schemes...and yet, it is the GOVERNMENT who is threatening these workers into accepting these shemes, and not the Union...How confusing hux...I can't get it..but then again I'm probably too lower class to get it.......
But the GWU has made a devastating mistake in mentioning the possibility to turn to brute force and ugly scenes of mob rule. All the GWU has managed to do is to bring back to us wo are old enough to remember once again the dreaded fear that Dockyard workers instilled upon us when they went out in droves on their trucks, dressed in soiled boilersuits, carrying chains and iron rods, shouting abuse and bullying everyone they came across. What a bad strategy by the GWU! How can today's GWU leaders commit this grave mistake which has only helped to turn most of the population against the Union and the Dockyard workers, eben before the real struggle started? This is no way to help the poor dockers who are faced with such a worrying situation that may ruin their lives if they do not take the right decisions.
.........so do let us be Tony...............cause when we faced trouble we fought our own battle....................cause we are "hodor" 'puliti" "nazzjonalisti" "zewgt ucuh" .......
If I am cuaght sleeping at work will the GWU support me? NO
If my company is on the brink of bankrupcy will the Govt. give me thousands in schemes? NO
If my comapony has bloodsucked over 300 million Maltese Liri will I go in the streets and threaten the govt. to give me more subsidies?? NO
If I loose my job will i have the right to threaten the PN with "nissfrundawkhom"? NO
If I loose the only way to salvage my company would be Privatisation will I put as many spokes in the wheels as possible to make life as difficult as possible to my political opponents?? NO
Can someone tell me how these people are better than me?? What gives these people the right to threaten with violence?? What gives these people the right to confront with "nisfrundawkom, nkaxkrukom, nikkiknsukom" and I have to thank my lucky stars my employer doesn't fire me if business goes down??.........
@ Victor Vella. Forgot the 200 word restriction? I only mentioned a few for examples but I did say and others. Paul Boffa,Neriku Mizzi, Gerald Strickland are certainly not excluded. As to Fusellu..., well unfortunately some mothers do have ‘em. Do you remember reading about a political top brass having conspicuous meeting under a bridge at night with known criminals? With regards to your reference to my DNA I will not dignify it with the courtesy of a reply. That kind of language disgusts me no matter where it’s coming from.
@ Charles Camilleri. Looks like am having some problems to express myself clearly so I’ll attempt another shot. I do not approve with Sammy Meilaq’s militant ways however I firmly and resolutely stand four-square behind his and his colleagues cause. For all we care, maybe when the Labour Government dismissed him from the Chair, unlike Jason Micallef, he realised that he did not have the required credentials to occupy that office. Nature is kind and doesn’t always provide self-centeredness.
The presence of the Labour Party delegation proves that Social Democracy is still the vanguard of the working population and that change is not on our agency and shall never be as long as our heart keeps beating on the left ie forever.
OK so in one paragraph you put Nelson Mandela Archbishop Makarios, Agatha Barbara Bertu Hyzler Patrick Holland and topped the cream with Manuel Dimech.I.
Patrick Holland God rest his soul, correct me if I am wrong wasn't he the one who had Fusellu stamping trade licences for a fee and a share in the profits? Remember Fusellu? Charles.?Now Bertu Hyzler and Agatha Barbara did have a noble cause and I bet they passed away in the same financial position that they entered politics there we agree but to mention a Criminal like Manuel Dimech and say that we look upon him as a hero , please don't insult the memory of the people.The trouble with you DNA Perfect part of the population is that you forget people like Boffa, cause your history was erased by Mintoff . Just as Stalin did in the Soviet Union, I don't know how old you are but I remember the period from 1971 t0 1987 quite well and no amount of promises would convince me that labour will ever change. Just look at who you elected as deputy leaders and General secretary.Now to correct it you will have a CEO
as for the EU directive..please allow me to quote, from an EU website.
What is an EU Directive?
An EU Directive is a form of legislation that is “directed” at the Member States. It will set out the objective or policy which needs to be attained. The Member States must then pass the relevant domestic legislation to give effect to the terms of the Directive within a time frame set in the directive, usually two years
Directives can be used to set minimum EU standards to be applied at national level, but also leave member states free to apply more stringent national measures, provided these do not conflict with free movement and free market rules.
As for your no colour or creed image...well...it is still strange how people like you only focus on one part of the issue....
Ps. Charles..Im writing from home again...just in case I needed your permission!
.
Did I ever try to conceal where my political leanings lie? I had supported Labour since The Independence campaign despite my Nationalist family background. Do you see anything wrong in my attitude to refrain from becoming paranoid over a sound bite? I made my point clear that Mailaq was insensitive in his choice of lingo. We all remember the thousands of Nationalists supporters during a mass meeting screaming ‘Salbu Salbu’. I honestly did not believe then that any member of that hysterical crowd literally wanted to see Dom Mintoff crucified on a cross. Do you now expect me to go overboard because a militant of the old school made a fool of himself? I am made of different fibre my good friend and appreciate the fact that Mailaq is fighting a good cause by way of his style, even though I do not necessarily always condone his language. Perhaps Malta needs a few more rough diamonds like Sammy. Our EU Partners have scores like him and people applaud them not instigate the authorities to send them to prison. Sad fact is that there’s a huge element of PN supporters who still admire the Fascist ways. ft.
It is not a law and neither is it ficticious, it is an EU Directive and YES, the GWU is way out of line in misquoting it and applying some of its usual 'creative' interpretation as an excuse to incite unrest.
By idiots I do not mean the workers, far from it, I am referring to the 'piss and vinegar' self-made firebrands with hidden agendas who, at the slightest excuse, get up on a podium and make senseless bombastic statements and suggestions which are tantamount to inciting violence and terrorism! With respect to Government's agenda, that is neither here nor there as I long ago stopped trusting any politician whatever colour or creed. Given the packages offered, however, it si unlikely Government has a hidden agenda to declare bankrupcy and dismiss the entire workforce. On the other hand, one would ask what the REAL agenda of the GWU is . . . especially considering that they stand to lose on of their most important and biggest power bases! Their only goal seems to be to discredit the government and lay the blame for any subsequent occurrance at its door, even if it means everybody gets made redundant!!
Just for the record, I did not write these blogs from work...
Hope that reassures you.
What is strange is that people like you have decided to get up close and personal to yours truly, and yet, there are others who are more active...
As long as its anti union or anti labour rethoric, it doesn't matter were they write from. Am I right?
Trying to scare me off I wonder?...Carry on..I can take it! ; O ) Actually, this is fun! : )
My oh my how people are showing their true colours...
Old faces for deputy leaders
...more old face for mlp administtration
...old and unwanted face for General Secretary!
Now same old alliances with GWU.
Has anything changed at all in this party???
The only earthquake we have seen is from the transport workers.
Let hope this time the police will not be caught off guard and allow these people to shame us once more.
How pathetic for the GWU to make use of a little child to further their and the Labour party political agenda. Thank god, the father of that little child can nowadays find work. Which is much more than can be said about the steawrdship of KMB, when the only hope of a job was substandard work with one of the militarised work corps, deprived of union support and other conditions. Where was the GWU then? For all those gullible enough who believed that Labour would change, you have been put on notice.
Alternative arithmetic: PN + AD= a greater absolute majority. Of course this is stupid arithmetic with yours being stupider and stupider, as Alice of Wonderland didn't say.
Next: you said: "Let alone that the MLP has the votes majority in Malta less Gozo. So no dictating manners accepted from the Nationalists Minority Government."
This is not only a stupid statement, but a very dangerous one. You have just deleted Gozo from the world map, I mean your version of the world map, Gozitans please note. But then MLP proponents are hell bent on warping, deleting and inventing things at their own convenience and according to the time of day, week, month or year.
BTW: Why was the GWU so silent during the March election campaign? Answer: Because it was considered as a great liability to the MLPs chances of winning the elections.
'If this law is fictitous, then the GWU is way out of line.
If not, and this law does exist, than the Government is duty bound, and legally bound, to honour it'
So I hope that I am clear enough on that issue, even if an explanation of this law would prove beneficial for both of us.
On the other matter, and I quote your comment: 'Don't these idiots realise that they risk providing the government with the perfect excuse to declare bankrupcy and dismiss everyone?'
Whilst not agreeing with your calling people you don't agree with idiots, it is ironic that with your comment you actually seem to agree with what was said yesterday regarding the Government's real agenda.
As to bankruptcy, at the meeting yesterday, certain allegations were made, and have as yet, not been disproved by the Government, such as the call by the Gwu for an independent enquiry as to the reason behind the alleged loss of millions, and the claim by th GWU that the governm,ent insisted that this enquiry should not be made public.....
Why so?
This opinion is strengthened when reading some blogs contributed by people that had never anything to do with the Tarzna. The way they call names the tarzna workers is proof enough. They just repeat what they were fed. Ask them to substantiate their judgment their stock reply: “I read it in the papers, the government said it.”
Do we need more proof of brainwashing?
Wake Sur Zarb, nobody in the whole world in today's economy is guaranteed a job for life!
Are you actually aware of what the EU Directive on the Transfer of Business states or just accepting the twisted version the GWU is attempting to shove down everyone's throat?? It's a pity that some persist in insulting people's intelligence! I for one am convinced that the majority of the Drydocks workers are intelligent . . . and able to realise that they are not (as usual) being told the whole story by the union.
The Directive makes no mention of voluntary resignations accompanied by golden handshakes such as are being currently offered by Government. Oh and incidentally, it also does not rule out the dismissal of everybody at the shipyards in the event that the privatisation process is sabotaged by the illuminati of the GWU (like the Sea Malta one was) and the business is declared bankrupt. Don't these idiots realise that they risk providing the government with the perfect excuse to declare bankrupcy and dismiss everyone? It won't get any better than this, I wish I was offered a lump sum and a pension to leave my current job!! The GWU just has a hidden agenda, it doesn't want to lose its main power base!!
btw are you suggesting that a gonzipn councillor is a better quality person than a labour delegate? if you are then your comment, in my opinion, is beneath contempt and does not deserve a reply.
If so, this time just have the cavalry ready please !
Are you of of the opinion that the transfer of business law should be broken by the Government....?
As for B cassar...Well I' ll leave the genitalia issue...Your personal preferences are your own, and I sincerely had no wish to intrude.....
As for your strike issue....you are clear enough...but for your benefit..it is called industrial action....and any such action is legal without the need to perform time and motion studies and that of asking for your permission...
As for good reason for workers to strike...well..in the past political parties have been known to call strikes...so why not a union?
A Mangion.....A hundred words and you fail to answer a simple question..A simple yes or no would have sufficed....seeing that you are slaving away at your job...or are you? Where do you work? As to nikber..do all people who have different opinions to yourself need to grow up?
So first it was the Dockyard..and now you attack ALL Public sector workers....mmm...the plot thickens....
As for the looking clever bit..well...Thanks! much appreciated! you're not all that bad after all....
While it is anyone's guess what Mr. Meilaq really intended by nisfrundawk. Are you implying that I could go up to some authority here and tell him nisfrundak and not be taken to court for doing so ? If this was the united states, the land of free speech, Meilaq would probably have been charged for conspiracy.
Even if by a long shot I do try to gulp down your protective reasoning towards this brute, who tells you that there weren't a 100 of his listeners who would take what he said literally and do try to do what he said ? What is Mielaq a Maltese version of a Hamas leader ? Nip such behaviour at its bud, like we had done when another brute had burned the EU flag just outside the shipyards. Don't be appologist for such behaviour, it starts out something small and then it goes out of control, like what happened recently with the bus strike.
Sammy let us live please.
revenues, the GWU is now embroiled in one last desperate attempt to cling to its power base. Tony Zarb knows only too well that the shipyard workers might walk away empty handed in the event that the shipyards are declared bankrupt. So why tempt fate Tony. Let the workers take the money and run. Furthermore, I would have thought Dr Joseph Muscat would have listened to better counsel and avoided Paola square yesterday. To make your mark on the party you need'nt associate yourself with the aristos. Preaching to the converted will earn the party next to nothing.
It was great to see you yesterday, accopmanied by the creme de la creme.
The memories of KMB with the Dockyard workers on the streets are not nice at all.
Is this the earthquake you promised Dr Muscat?
It was a good idea to have Manuel Cuschieri present yesterday...when will you put him on air? Or is he part of the ethics committee you set up?
Their attendance clearly shows that for the mlp, the gwu was and still is a preferred trade union. I humbly suggest to the new mlp leader, and to his mp's to keep to their political carrier and mission. KEEP OUT OF IT.
I did not include Dr. Karmenu Mifsud Bonnici since he is the gwu legal advisor besides being an ex-leader of the mlp.
Maybe these reforms need to be done ....true....but from the other hand how many promises is GonziPN gonna break before the people start revolting. We had a taste with the transport strike now it seems that the Tarzna workers are next.
And i ask you all who do you think will be next??? University Students??? Why not ??? after all even their stipends are taken from our taxes and what are they giving back to the country??? They go and work somewhere in Europe!! So why don't we do like other European Countries and make them pay for their studies. Why not??? After all we are all in the EU..... like it or not!!!
are they still going to support terrorism? and will they be loyal to GWU in front of Castille?
Now Gonzi should respond for all irresponsabilities of the management,
how can he set up the best image for the shipyards if he wants to reduce the tanker facilities which make up most of the shipyards' operations???
When are we going to see the shipyards' decisions of refusing work published????
Who are the shipyards' advisorts whom the government kept secret?? How come that the shipyards were making Lm3 for any lira spendt and now we have arrived at a dead end???
However could explain to me why a person who has recently destroyed another shipyard, was appointed to be involved in serious shipyards' decisions???
Where is responsability Dr. Gonzi???? What did really mean all those promises of last years???
Where was Mister Meilaq (or for that matter Toni Zarb) when Alfred Sant dissolved the Drydocks Council?? Where were these pseudo-marxist throwbacks with all their threats of violence, toppling governments and kicked-in doors when Mintoff accused the entire Drydocks workforce of lacking genitals????
Dear Eric.. when I was young and attended school and university, I was told on separate occasions that it’s not the quantity but the quality. Hence the 80 executive members vis-à-vis the 900 members you quote..
On a stronger note, hence the 5 PN governments vis-à-vis the 1 MLP Government (with a shorter term) in the past 25 yrs.
Stop all these politics.. the more you argue about it, the more you convince young voters (like me) with different opinions rather than ideologies to stick to one particular party when the voting booths are open. But any way.. in my young experience so far, I can confidently say that so far the Maltese proverb "Hmar taqtalu denbu hmar jibqa" is 100% true.
Come on let it out. Meilaq is an embarassment and you're trying to minimise the damage this sort of lingo tends to cause . "Nisfrundawk" can be taken literarly more so when we know that Tony has threatened to take the workers to Castille. We all remember the recent scenes when the bus drivers tried to enter Castille during the strike.
If Alfred Sant was elected and the over time issue never happened,
What would you write you about him ? What would you say ?
Cause you never said something about things that LORYY GONZI said and never did.
...and the money is the taxpayers'.
So the GWU is part of the situation the workers are in today because the GWU had never lift a finger to advise the workers on their responsabilities.
‘Nisfrundawk’ is a negative and a turn-off phrase by all means but ‘topple’ does not fit as a translation. Topple means titgerbeb; taqa jew tixhet minn fuq net. To topple the government we would normally use the unambiguous phrase ‘inwaqqaw il-gvern’. Literary, nisfrundaw means to break-in,’nisfrundaw il-bieb’ and a more aggressive meaning-‘inkissru’ like in ‘nisfrundalek sidrek.’
Meilaq is a militant of the old school and certainly not a role model of a modern union leader however the sound bite was unfair as anybody with the basic knowledge of the Maltese language will tell you that the term ‘nisfrundaw’ cannot be taken literary when used.
While trying hard not to sound like I am protecting Meilak for his bad choice of lingo I would prefer to hear his explanation than being judgemental.
When will Tony Zarb and Sammy Meilak learn? can they not read the mood of the people? Look at the fiasco that happened to the Transport Federation with the Strike and learn.
There is much to criticise in the Government's plan but all they can do is drum up the crowd's tempers using the Summer heat and all.
Perhaps thus is the end of Tony Zarb and Sammy Meilak at last and we will never see or hear from them again after this.
And please Dr Joseph Muscat, watch your step. you may find that you are allowed very few mistakes.
As for those who keep on stating that this is a "minority" government, clearly they do not understand the electoral rules. Where were they in 1981 when the PN had the absolute majority of votes at 51% (in 2008 the MLP got LESS votes than PN) and yet the MLP ruled? The PN is ruling with a relative majority as the party in parliament with the largest number of votes. This is absolutely normal in a democracy.
and btw....dr paul borg olivier was not the one the higher echelons of gonzipn wanted in the first place.
I will tell you where I was.
I was hearing Dr Sant's doom outlook on our economy. I was reading Joseph Muscat's articles on L-orizzont and his super one broadcast urging us against EU membership. I was looking at the Government plea for financial help to improve the skills of our dearest resource: human resources. I was impressed by the important stragetic move taken by Minister Gatt to face reality and train us workers to have a better alternative job.
Mr Camilleri, as you seems so much clever or guru, why are you wasting your time in these blogs instead of doing productive work. Or wait....maybe you work in the public sector or....you're an ELF!!!
Iftah ghajnejk siehbi u thallix il-politika taghmik. I'm not a Nationalist but a simple worker who works hard to earn a living. And i hate it when people like you insist that i should subsidise other inefficiencies. Mr Camilleri, IKBER!!!!
On the otherhand there is a huge smell of partisan politics from the government's side. He had been part of the gang that robbed the law abiding taxpayers to buy social stability. It was a high price indeed!. Now he cant rewind back the clock and expect us to pat him on the back for treating the MS like trash(revenge?).
In the previous downsizing exercise the MS had the facility to choose its staff that wanted to leave. I presume that the reason for those who were not allowed to leave was because they were more prodcutive. So the govt enrolled in his books less productive employees and NOW he wants to close the door to the more productive group. This is totally inconsistent .
For a change i will sympathise with the MS workers, pity their union leader is not up to the job.
i expect much better from a Community Fellow
Please note that even ALTERNATTIVA DEMOKRATIKA took part in GWU's protest, so it's not just Labour. Also keep in mind that MLP+AD enjoy the absolute majority of the Maltese electorate.
OMG.....This is really funny! The MLP+AD should all go to Castille with the GWU and topple the goverment. Ehm.....BTW, they should have been in power for 5 months now, if JM was right!?!?! hahahaha! pure lovely stuff. keeps the joke pouring please
I read your comment and I agree to almost all your comments except for the comments regarding if we beleived the goverment. As I said yesterday all those who could not read the writing on the wall were either blind or simply ignorant of the facts surrounding them. I never beleived doctor Gonzi when he said the jobs are guaranteed and I don ot even work in the shipyard. But looking at other shipyards in the Med, such as those in Greece, one could easily tell the future of our shipyards.
The workers have no fualt in this issue, as you rightly said in your comments, and have the right to work and earn a decent living. But these workers were mislead, mismaneged and politically abused by all stakeholders involved, the Goverement on top, the managment with its incopetence and lack of foresight and last but not least the Union with its intransigence and obsession to ride the oppositions band wagon.
This is not the first time that PN lied to workers before the general election to gain votes. Where is the Guarantee of the work???
The dockyards workers want WORK WORK and only WORK.
For your information in yesterdays mass rally there wasn't only the MLP but also AD and other NGO's. This means the absolute majority. GonziPN pls stop this arrogance.
What the GWU will end up doing is to force this Givernment to do what it desperately does not want to do: declare the Dockyard bankrupt.
Wrightly said. Some people need to sit down and have the decency to buy a couple of books about democracy to learn at least the basics of how it works, before they blab out some garbage formula about how votes should be added up. This mistake was already made once in this country during the referendum. Please lets not repeat it and make fools out of ourselves.
How you can keep subsidising any entity that keep makes loss at least 20years ?
Is it the same for the country finances I ask ?So what should we do offer the goverment an early retirement scheme by the same argument?
Why it had to be the EU to tell us that is wrong? Which of course it is!
Now its too late to tackle the problem!How can some people say that the ship repair industry is finished? So where are ships around the world being maintained or repaired? The subsidised money had to be used better example diversificate in another sector of building solar panels.
The problem in Malta is always the same, bad management thats' all!
The people get jobs here not on their capabilities but in which colour their CV is written!!!
They get paid not how much they are productive and sucessful for the entity but with a fixed salary + bonuses !
And then when something goes wrong we just quit the job the important thing that we can enjoy our bank account!! Why is different in the private sector?
Come on wake up people use your brain! Il-huta minn rasha tinten!!
Satisfied that the next tappa is Castille ? Is your position at the GWU guaranteed ?
United Nations Declaration of Human Rights - Article 23(1)
Everyone has the right to work, to free choice of employment, to just and favorable conditions of work and to protection against unemployment.
Next stop CASTILLE....fine, and ? then what ? Going to burn the place down ?
A small reminder of "bullying" is the strenth of the people.
Forget it,those times are gone and are rid off.
There is a way out for the workers,so move on and go for it.
Most of these skilled workers should not find any problems with seeking employment when they take the "sum"....Mr Zarb dont mess this one up as well.
Hasty comments from a person that is feeling the responsability of the situation and feels cornered. Comments from the usual retoric. As Sir Winston Churchill used to say " A fanatic is one who can't change his mind and won't change the subject". And the Union's meeting fit exactly this qoatation. Always the same rhetoric, 'Ahna u intom', 'Il-komdu u il-batut', 'Il-haddiem tal-pinna u l-haddiem ta' l-id'. The 1917 Bolshevist revolution is over and far gone by.
Your arguments don't hold any water. Do you really believe that you won't find a single Labour sympathiser who deep down is sick to the back teeth of shelling out millions of Liri and Euro to be swallowed up by that black hole a.k.a Malta Shipyards?
By all means strike if the GWU feels the need to bring its message home but enough with the militant rhetoric and loutish behaviour.
One would have thought that Tony Zarb and Sammy Meilaq took note of last month's transport stoppage and the near universal condemnation heaped on the drivers from the entire country and realised that bluster, arrogance and tough guy language won't win them any sympathy.
The streets don't belong to you Tony Zarb and neither to the so-called 'aristocracy of the workers' or '8th Army'. They belong to all of us. Have the good sense to stay within the law in any future actions and behave yourselves in OUR (as in the people of Malta) streets.
@ Jeremy
With regards to genitalia, I am afraid that I am not blinded by this but the fact is that the loveable JM jeopardised his image for the so called "floating" voters. Is this not true?
Which brings us to the JM cohones part, he promised an earthquake and instead we got nothing. It is a fact that for a healthy country to operate we need a good opposition but I fear that GWU's chains are yet again holding down the MLP from being what this country needs.
MLP together with all the other entities should condone such instigation and not applaud it, even if the principles are the same it is not the way to go about things.
Also what is JM doing being seen with KMB and AS, the only 2 leaders in the grand history of MLP to bring defeats and shame to its partisans.
Why is it bad to hold protests in Malta, when they are carried out all over the European Union ?
Why is it that when the General Worker,s Union is involved in democratic protests to protect it's members interests, the dogs of war come out in force, but not when other Trade Unions make protests ?
@ Jeremy
I would like to apologise as I guess I was not clear enough. When I said strike I really meant protest. To strike you have to work first so the term strike is not applicable.
As you know their are protests and then their are protests and what the GWU is instigating is an attack on our countries Governement /Prime Minister and its people.
Since the GWU, MLP, AD, Moviment Graffiti and Zmienijitna ( i hope i did not leave anyone out) applauded the behaviour of pre 1987 behaviour the government should also adopt a pre 1987 behaviour, why not re-form the SMU? (i just had a shiver up my spine).
Well obviously our government does not accept that behaviour (violence) and this was very clear during the protest that we had a couple of weeks ago.
Where were YOU when these workers were guaranteed a future in Pn Meetings(still not banned are they?)
Where were YOU, when the livelihood of these workers was joked about in playful bets made by one of our ministers?
I wonder...
As for the proposals...Could you give us the details about them please? I ' m sure you must have the details since you stated that they were generous.
As for pre 1986...are you suggesting that this should be the way forward?
As for your other claims and allegations..Could you kindly re read the questions asked in my previous contributions...Ignoring them as well..and yet they are so simple! I wonder why?
instead they choose to DIE, and pull down with their failure all those hard-headed and politically motivated, dockyard workers. Its a pity because I am sure that amongst all dockyard workers , one can find intelligent, responsable and skillfull employees, who, at the present moment are capable to find good and well-payed jobs with the private sector.
To top it all, they are beeing offered a good sum of money , paid from my taxes, under the early retirement scheems, prior leaving their present job. Its an opportunity not to be missed.
GWU is only playing a dirty game with 1700 families, just to keep on reminding us that they are still that OLD MILITANT ENTITY. They know that the Government choose the best solution, and there is no other alternative solution.
NO DEAL