UHM hits out at GWU over tariffs

A. Vassallo

Jan 30th 2009, 10:07

@ sciberras p
Jahasra qieghed thallat il-hass mal-kabocci (biex ma nkunx pastas).

This thing about the Lm9 wage increase came about in the late 80's after we had our wages frozen for years under the KMB regime and not 13 years ago. You have a lot of confusion in your mind. It had nothing to do with the W&E Bills issued by Alfred Sant when costed only $12 a barrel. At that time the UHM suggested to Alfred Sant to keep the same tariffs as they were but be staggered on a period of three years. He did not accept.

@joseph farrugia
My answer to your comment will be by means of another question. Were were you in 1997 when your than leader of the MLP / PL Alfred Sant put up the electricity bills and did not take heed from what the UHM suggested as described above? Are you by any chance still studying the figures like the gwu?

A Vella

Jan 30th 2009, 09:49

@ Jeremy Camilleri

I agree with Audrey's point.

Things have been going on for too long... Personal attacks against Gejtu Vella form your Union's own newspapers are a big shame. STOP personal attacks.

I show solidarity with Gejtu Vella and UHM staff. Please keep on working and just ignore these infernal attacks.

My place of work are now joing the UHM too! The more personal attacks against the UHM, the more workers will join.

I urge all workers to consider joining too.

A Tabone

Jan 30th 2009, 09:13

I think Audrey camilleri is right.

I actually wonder why no left organisation at the time protested against the court case against the UHM and against the right of workers to take industrial actions in solidarity with other workers... I really find that strange considering that this is leftist ideology!

I show solidarity witgh UHM leadres against these vicious attacks against them.

And by the way, to all those thinking to close the UHM, you'd better think twice. You have actually convinced to become a member in the UHM! Behaviour breeds behaviour.... The more frontal attacks, the more workers will be convinced to join in the UHM.

@ MUT

I expect you to condemn these attacks.... IMMEDIATELY

Jeremy J Camilleri

Jan 30th 2009, 08:31

Plans to weaken UHM?

You must be kidding!

Uhm has been in cohorts with the Pn Government for ages!!!!

Now that you mention that particular court case, during which I did not agree with the Government of the day, what would be your comments as to UHm asking for the famous Lm 9 and the reason for striking being high utility bills?

Audrey Camilleri

Jan 29th 2009, 23:32

I morally believe that this is a plot to close down the UHM!

This is one amongst other measures to attack, even personally, the UHM leaders, aiming to close it down. If one studies the events and series of articles appearing on cetain media, during these last years, one would notice a certain trend from a particular sector aimed to actually force the UHM to close..

Does anyone remember the court action against the UHM by the Labour Party which was against the rights of workers to take industrial action in solidarity with other workers? Does anyone know that if that case was won by government, the UHM would have closed down its doors? If the Labour Party won that case, the UHM would have been forced to pay millions of liri, thus forcing it to close down. This not to add to the fact that workers would have lost the right of solidarity industrial actions. Who would have gained from that situation?

Why is it that no Union at the time showed solidarity with UHM?

This is simply an elaborate plot to close the UHM. We, the workers will not let this happen!
NEVER! Over our dead bodies.

simon amato

Jan 29th 2009, 22:20

PROSIT GWU. AND THE OTHER 10 UNIONS. SHAME ON U TAL UHM.

Antoine Grima

Jan 29th 2009, 22:02

That's the way guys.Fighting between yourself is the perfect medicine the country needs.

Jeremy J Camilleri

Jan 29th 2009, 22:00

For all those claiming that UHM is a neutral union, the equation is simple.

Increased tariffs under Labour GOVT= Stopping freeport and asking for a LM 9 a week increase.

Increased tariffs under PN Govt- Lets talk, and talk...and agree...and disagree....and agree.... SImple is it not?

As for all the others blagging about who is right....

Well, eleven unions which have NEVER had historical links with Labour are saying one thing....UHM and WIlliam Portelli are saying another....Another simple equation is it not?

As for union unity...well...its there is it not...eleven unions united in one cause....

G Camilleri

Jan 29th 2009, 20:46

These reciprocal attacks which have lately taken place between the two main Unions on the Island is to be condemned by all. This has been going on for quite some time now and this is precisely the reason why John Monks from ETUC and lately the MUT attempted to build the bridges. The MUT has today showed solidarity with UHM in its dispute with Government over the Laboratory Technicians issue and has for many times showed solidarity with other Unions, namely MUMN, GWU and UMASA. When addressing Unions during the recent meeting when the MUT tried to bring all the Unions together, Mr. John Bencini MUT President did not mince his words and condemned such attacks. This kind of behaviour cannot go on, he insisted. We can never have a TUC if the two main Unions in Malta continue to behave unethically. Unfortunately words like "Purcinelli or Viljakki" are not going to help to build the bridges the workers out there expect.

P.Schembri

Jan 29th 2009, 20:26

I didn't know that the UHM had the power of foresight. Maybe a part-time prophet to know that oil prices were going down? What's wrong with the GWU asking the government to buy oil when it was already low? Who would have thought that the price of oil would go down to as much as $35 a barrel? I'm sure no one knew that this would happen. So what the UHM is trying to do, is trying to denigrate the GWU for something which the Government should have thought of.

joseph farrugia

Jan 29th 2009, 19:09

of course mr vassallo. you said the gwu was hiding under several masks. so where does your govt. hide? where where you when we received the bills.? in space? are you still living here ? why dont you ask questions to your govt?

J Busuttil

Jan 29th 2009, 18:44

Well done UHM for informing us about the GWU proposals. So they proposed that the GOVT buys fuel oil at November prices. So is it true that the GWU really want the tariffs to come down? Is this some hidden agenda? And to Mr.Bencini of MUT. Do you agree with the GWU unjust attack on UHM? And Paul Pace of MUMN and UMASA and the other unions? And Prof.Edward Zammit who chaired the meeting of the 11 unions to set up a TUC? Are you going to be like the three monkeys: BLIND-DEAF-DUMB?

Anthony Mallia

Jan 29th 2009, 18:24

Wouldn't it be better for all the unions and the workers they represent if the leaders of the unions wash their dirty linen indoors.

laurence schembri

Jan 29th 2009, 18:13

Gejtu Vella has a problem.
Somebody ought to tell him that `silence is golden`

G .Mangion

Jan 29th 2009, 18:03

@ UHM welldone , and do keep unfolding the gwu's, Gimmiks .
John Debattista Min jidhaq lahhar jdhaq LAHJAR !!! hares lejn Lahhar Rebha Nazzjonalista
halli forsi tifem il - Poplu xi Jrid >>>>>>>>>>>>>>Heq !

Rachel Attard

Jan 29th 2009, 17:56

It's time to say good bye Gejt . No more acting, please.

sciberras p

Jan 29th 2009, 17:24

Gejt 13 IL sena ilu kont tlab 9LM zieda fil gimgha. Kemm bihsiebek ser titlob issa.

M. Catania

Jan 29th 2009, 17:13

One thing is certain. UHM carry out industrial actions be it there Nationalist or Labour Government. On the other hand the GWU is the PL's preferred .... You guess what!!! Just tell me when did the GWU carry out JUST ONE single industrial action against the Labour Government?

mikepace

Jan 29th 2009, 17:06

Looks like the UHM its losing its membership day by day after its shown whom their supports is going to their faithful friends from Castile and now they change their directions towards the most hit in the common man or woman in the streets whom are facing the uncertain in day by day living standards- please Gejtu and Co think again and with one voice join again with the rest of unions in the coming battles.

Mike Magri

Jan 29th 2009, 16:26

Sinjuri ta l-UHM + Some Others Tac-Cekcik... Oil prices have been dropping since October of last year... So, IN YOUR OWN WORDS, you TOO should have agreed for an immediate drop in the tariffs.....!!!!!!!!

BUT YOU DID NOT....!!!!!!!!!!!!! WHY.... GEJT....!!??!!?? Were you SCARED of hurting Dady GonziPN.....!!!!! Of course you were....!!! Don`t you think we don`t know all that.....????

Of course we DO, Gejtu `PLUS`.... !!!!! It`s as simple as that.....!!!!!

Thanks, u prosit GWU + 10 Other Unions Ta VERU....

Manuel Mifsud

Jan 29th 2009, 16:21

Well done Gejtu and UHM. For you workers' rights come first whereas for others politics come first. UHM took action whenever needed regardless of who was governing. Just read today's Times just to see one example. Can someone please tell us how often did the GWU order strike action during an MLP administration?????

g.c.Forte

Jan 29th 2009, 16:13

@ U.H.M.............Dear Gejtu you can fool one person at a time but you cannot fool all the people at the same time. For me it is not a `U` turn but as our grand fathers use to say....".il lupu ibiddel sufu imma mhux ...........Please make up your mind are you in or are you out. Do not try to split the famous eleven unions, that they had been consistent all the time for the benefit of the employees that they represents and most of all for all the Maltese families.

A. Vassallo

Jan 29th 2009, 15:34

Well done and good old boys Union Haddiema Maghqudin. You managed to rend yet another of the many masks under which the gwu has always been hiding since 1987. If during all these years the gwu was consistent, it was in only the following two things.

One, is that it is and always was always against the PN in Government whatever it does. The other is the fact that it never digested and swallowed the idea that the UHM is getting stronger whilst it is losing out on members.

I suppose the gwu has put the last nail in the TUC coffin. I cannot imagine the UHM accepting to work together with the gwu in TUC or in any other fora. I urge the UHM to send the article to John Monks, the Secretary General of the European Trade Union Confederation. .

A suggestion for Mr. John Bencini of the MUT. He should publicly condemn the gwu’s article against the Union Haddiema Maghqudin whilst dissociating himself and his union from the gwu and once again find true refuge and fraternal cooperation within the CMTU fold.

John Debattista

Jan 29th 2009, 15:32

Hallina Gejt b minn tahseb ha Didhaqq. Proset G.W.U u l ghaxra l-ohra. dawn tal U.H.M mhux favur il Haddiem imma il Gvern Nazzjonalista Ha ha...................

Ethelbert Schembri

Jan 29th 2009, 15:11

Who do you think you are fooling UHM. With this attitude you confirmed just one thing ... The UHM is not a trade union to help its members it’s just another help to the PN !!

Alfred Attard

Jan 29th 2009, 15:01

What would have happened if the Goverment did a hedging agreement when with November 2008 price like the GWU suggested?

C.Sapiano

Jan 29th 2009, 14:56

Unfortunately the GWU is harming dialogue in the country by its actions. This will continue harming the image of the GWU and of those who support it.

James Saliba

Jan 29th 2009, 14:53

The position in which the UHM placed itself in is really contradictory. Far from the cry by Mr Gejtu Vella that he, and he alone has come up with a solution which Government accepted to adopt. Mr Vella first committed himself to what the PM supposedly said, during their close encounters, then said that the agreement arranged was different, then he agreed again....bla..bla..bla. I would not talkk of a U-turn here, rather an erratic, inconsistent, behaviour which is lending UHM's administration in the not-believed category. Hmmm, very similar to what majority of people are thinking of PM and his party.

A Caruana

Jan 29th 2009, 14:45

guess the fuel surcharge on flights should be withdrawn too as this one has never been mentioned. I wonder how long will this surcharge keep on going. There needs to be an update in the situation.