Updated: Unions want meeting with PM

(Adds government reaction)

Eleven unions are insisting on a meeting with the Prime Minister to discuss the water and electricity tariffs before January 9.

The Malta Union of Midwives and Nurses, the Malta Union of Teachers, the General Workers Union, the Union of Cabin Crew, the Union Haddiema Bank Centrali, the Union Technical and Clerical Mepa, the Union Professjonisti Awtoritá ghall-Ambjent u Ppjanar, the University of Malta Academic Staff Association, the Airline Pilots Association, the Union Periti u Inginiera Servizz Pubbliku and the Association of Airline Engineers wrote to the Prime Minister on December 10 highlighting discrepancies in the workings of the utility tariffs and calling for a meeting.

Speaking on behalf of the 11 unions, MUMN president Paul Pace told a news conference this morning that the Prime Minister replied on December 22 directing the unions to the regulator and making no mention of the meeting requested.

The unions, he said, were insisting on this meeting and would consider action unless this was given by January 9.

Mr Pace said that the unions had always had their meetings on the issue with the Prime Minister and the regulator was never present. Moreover, it was the government and not the regulator who had to ensure social justice.

The unions are also insisting on being given clarifications to their questions and an updated version of Enemalta’s accounts.

They called on their members and their families to take their time in paying the new bills.

“What we want is a solution to this problem,” they said.

In a reply, the government reiterated its recommendation to the unions to address their clarification requests to the Malta Resources Authority.

It said that the Prime Minister had held intensive meetings with the unions during which an agreement on the way forward was reached.

Some of the unions were now requesting more technical clarifications on figures which had been presented. Such clarifications could only be given by the regulatory authority, it said.