"Constant" contact by shipyards mediator
Mediation between the government and the General Workers’ Union on the privatisation of the shipyards is continuing, with "constant" contact between all sides, GWU general secretary Tony Zarb told timesofmalta.com.
The mediator took up the issue on Monday.
Asked if any progress had been registered, Mr Zarb would not give a straight answer but said the union was working towards this aim. He said contacts were taking place all the time.
The GWU had been insisting on job guarantees for workers who do not take up the early retirement schemes. The governemnt said it could not give such guarantees, but said it would consider fine-tuning the schemes.
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Alfred Farrugia
Aug 20th 2008, 16:28
Can the mediator contact the Hon. Dr. George Vella and request further information on what Dr. Vella claimed during the election campaign? Is it true that there are provisions in EU documents that state that the Maltese government may continue to negotiate with the EU on the shipyards issue without re-opening the accession negotiations package?
If this is true, would not such provisions give the government side more time to negotiate with potential bidders, and thus strengthening its negotiating position?
If potential bidders try to take advantage of the apparent weak position of the government side, cannot the government consider a public-private partnership instead of complete privatization? If in the end no bidders offer an appropriate deal, could not the government consider running the shipyards with say 700 workers and no subsidies? If private companies can do this, why cannot the government be in a position to try it itself, in the absence of suitable offers? The more options the government retains, the better its bargaining position!