We cannot forget past 'problems' with George Abela - Zarb

General Workers' Union general secretary Tony Zarb is refusing to put the difficulties his union had with George Abela behind him, saying that "before we forget those problems, we need to find ways and means of how to forget them".

In an interview with The Sunday Times today, Mr Zarb makes it clear that there is no love loss with the recently-elected President, who served as legal consultant to the GWU for 25 years.

Dr Abela had a well-publicised falling out with the union's leadership especially after port workers appointed him as their legal representative in discussions with the government on port reform.

"Yes, there were problems... And It will be better for everybody if we don't air our dirty linen in public," Mr Zarb says.

Dr Abela resigned from the union in disagreement with the GWU's handling of the court case filed by the government against the union in relation to the August 1999 airport strikes.

Relations deteriorated further two years ago, when GWU port workers appointed Dr Abela as their legal representative in discussions with the government on port reform. A few months later, the majority of the port workers left the GWU to form the Malta Dockers Union.

Mr Zarb also speaks in detail about the Freeport dispute which has landed the GWU with a €1 million garnishee order, claiming there is a movement intent on destroying the union.