Kurt Sansone
Unions'rally told of possible 15% cut
The government plans to cut the utility rates by 15 per cent in the coming weeks, General Workers' Union general secretary Tony Zarb, said yesterday, adding the information came from a "little bird".
"This is not enough. We want real changes not cosmetic ones," Mr Zarb insisted during a rally held at the GWU headquartersin Valletta, attended by about 300 people.
Mr Zarb started by thanking the government for bringing the 11 unions fighting the new utility tariffs together. His reference to "the government" was greeted by jeers from a part of the audience.
"We are the defenders of workers not their traitors," Mr Zarb said to a cheering crowd, in an obvious reference to the Union Haddiema Maghqudin and the Confederation of Malta Trade Unions' decision to break ranks on the issue.
He reiterated the 11 unions' call for the regulator's resignation and asked him not to be a "puppet" in the hands of whoever pays his salary.
"We will not stop and we ask you not to pay your bills until they are revised," he said. At one point, a person in the audience shouted that the government threatened it would suspend the service to those who default on bills.
Picking up the comment, Mr Zarb insisted the government would have to suspend the electricity service of all the union representatives first.
"If the government wants to get tough, we can get tough as well," Mr Zarb warned, insisting that the unions want a solution, not confrontation.
He said people should be on the lookout for fresh directives in the coming weeks.
However, John Bencini, the president of the Malta Union of Teachers, stole the show with a sharp short speech, punctuated with humorous comments and witty remarks.
"The Prime Minister had told us that 73 per cent of families would benefit from the eco reduction. The regulator told us 53 per cent would benefit while Enemalta said 68 per cent of families would be eligible. You should try your luck with these numbers and play them in the lotto, maybe you will win and be able to pay the exorbitant bills," Mr Bencini said in one of the lighter moments of his address.
To a rousing applause he then asked who was governing the country in the face of the different figures given out by the government and its agencies.
Mr Bencini started his speech recalling the initial meeting held between all the unions and the Prime Minister on November 22 after the unions' demonstration in Valletta.
"During that meeting all the 20 unions were on one side of the table. Opposite us was the Prime Minister, the Deputy Prime Minister and two private secretaries. I started looking for the regulator under the table," Mr Bencini said, eliciting a smile from those present.
He then recounted the meeting 11 unions had with Enemalta's auditors KPMG.
"We met at their offices in Msida," he said, at which point Mr Zarb whispered in his ear that the offices were in Pietà.
"And it truly is pietà, because the whole situation is pitiful," Mr Bencini remarked recalling that the auditors confirmed that the percentage of families benefitting from the eco reduction mechanism was worked out on all meters, including those of uninhabited premises and garages.
Earlier, the meeting was also addressed by the president of the Malta Union of Midwives and Nurses, Paul Pace who reiterated the call for the tariffs to come into force on October 1.
Labour MP George Vella and MEP hopefuls Claudette Abela Baldacchino and Joseph Cuschieri were among the audience.
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Mark Piscopo
Mar 1st 2009, 09:42
I attended the Rally yesterday and and the attendance at the Rally exceeded 600. The theatre now called "City Theatre" has a capacity of 600 seats downstairs and all the seats were full.
E.Psaila
Mar 1st 2009, 09:28
GonziPN Supporters try to debate facts by mentioning the past. I am fed up of hearing ageing teachers talking about the past...The past is the past, we just don't care, we care only about the present and the future...We don't vote because of what happened decades ago...Why don't you try to understand this? The truth is that in the present we have a government which is simply not present for the citizens. (just take a look at the roads for example) Its members are just sitting comfortably in their airconditioned offices, nice villas, nice cars (including jaguars), while we have to freeze in our own homes because they tell us to SWITCH (by the way not so original name for this compaign, MTV has been using it for ages)...Yes we need to make a SWITCH but in the party in government. Of couse the GRTU does not say anything: Its head is being offered a place in Brussels and he is not resigning from the union just in case he does not get elected...
Trevor Mallia
Mar 1st 2009, 09:20
@Abel Abela
I fully agree with you but if all the mebers of the unions stick to the directives, the government is not going to cut the light of all the houses of the members. As Tony Zarb rightfully said, the government will first have to cut the electricity of the leaders of the unions. I am sure that if the government will take this type of confrontation, he will be heading for trouble.
I don't want to drive politics into this, but I was Nationalist for all my life, but the government arrogance has now surpassed every limit. Labour have still not anaged to convince me, but Dr. Gonzi can definatly forget my Vote and those of my family.
Jeremy J Camilleri
Mar 1st 2009, 09:19
M Catania....some people have better things to do than count standing spaces......
Now regarding the tariffs....
C Camilleri..when you have even the most basic idea of economics... speak out.....
Until then....
M. Catania
Mar 1st 2009, 08:15
@G Camilleri
The theatre's capacity does not exceed 400.
C. Grech
Feb 28th 2009, 19:46
Pround of Mr. Bncini? Well I would never ever rub my shoulders with whom did nothing when us teachers were locked out of schools simply for obeying a directives issued by Mr. Bencini's Union.
Let's not forget the terrible moments we all passed through in those days. And where were those who are now posing as the defenders of workers? Simply approving and rubbing their hands for what the Socialist regime was doing to us teachers.
Gordon Grech
Feb 28th 2009, 19:23
In Italy the Government as an incetive has reduced to 8% in the electricity bills and a drastic reduce in the price of Unleded Petrol as from next month. And in Malta? This is being done due to the fact that the price of Oil has decreased. Or Malta is found in an other planet!!
John Sammut
Feb 28th 2009, 19:10
@ C Camilleri
The 11 unions are also protesting so that the government does not make industry and our tourism sector uncompetitive by this hefty increase in the water and electricity tariffs....this is common sense! This is what makes mass redundancies because at a time when the world is facing a recession we have record inflation!!! which means more workers being made redundant!
c.camilleri
Feb 28th 2009, 16:22
Is this all the support that 11 unions can amass. Considering the usual labour supporters attending this rally one can say that the unions' action is just a roar in the desert. I ask John Bencini and other unions (not the GWU) how many of their members attended the rally. Do not these people realise the waves of economic ills our country has to face through the world's economic down turn? Is this their part of helping Maltese workers avoid the mass unemployment like that of other countries.?
Abel Abela
Feb 28th 2009, 15:06
A big thankyou to the 11 Unions. But...
Maltese families are forced to pay for the failings of the Government, Enemalta and Water Services. Non-paying customers will be sued and charged interest rates and have their service suspended. The campaign would be 100% effective if ALL unions and organizations are participating. But CMTU - UHM and GRTU have once again shown they are PN buddies.
So individual customers of Enemalta and Water Services will have to face this question:
With families and small businesses failing to pay their bills on time, if their electricity and water services are interrupted, they will be forced to reapply for water and electricity connections. Will the unions defend families and common citizens if this happens on a case by case basis? The 11 unions deserve the public's support in this campaign, but individual consumers may incur fines and even have their services terminated. Enemalta is authorized by law to proceed against those who do not pay their bills on time. Do you realize how much it costs to have services reconnected?? Are Unions prepared to pay the fines penalties and reconnection fees to Enemalta and Waterservices obo Joe Citizen?
David Pisani
Feb 28th 2009, 15:06
Well done all 11 unions. Keep fighting for a good social cause.
All you are doing is change Government's mentality of calculator. Lets change and revise the system for a flat rate for what is classified as basic daily family needs whilst penalizing the abusive consumption, but with different rates per consumption.
What government is doing right now is antisocial and its rediculous to hear MRA calling for a consultation process and people are still receiving bills.
Louis Attard
Feb 28th 2009, 14:14
I wasn't there because it is physically impossible for me to get to Valletta. As a pensioner living alone I much appreciate that there is someone who speaks on behalf of the downtrodden. Thank you Unions and no thanks to GRTU.
V.Micallef
Feb 28th 2009, 12:58
Mr Bencini was nothing less than BRILLIANT. He keeps to the subject but goes in deep. We cannot have enough of his speeches.
G Camilleri
Feb 28th 2009, 12:13
I attended the Rally yesterday and The Times reporter was very loyal in his report except that the attendance at the Rally exceeded 600. The theatre now called "City Theatre" has a capacity of 600 seats downstairs and all the seats were full. There were alot of people standing too. I write this for the sake of correctness. The speeches by the Union members were excellent but I cannot not point out the John Bencini's speech was out of the ordinary, he was excellent and kept the audience stuck to their seats. He is an eloquent speaker and the teachers must be proud of this man.