Dalli brokers Freeport truce
Another meeting this week
The deadlock at Malta Freeport was broken yesterday as management and the General Workers' Union agreed to lay down arms and discuss the issue.
The key actions, which included the freezing of the union's assets and a directive to go slow by the GWU, were withdrawn during a meeting presided over by Social Policy Minister John Dalli.
The situation appeared to have improved when the union announced yesterday morning that the two workers who were suspended for following industrial action had returned to work.
After the announcement, union secretary general Tony Zarb described the meeting with the minister, which lasted about 90 minutes, as very positive.
"I have faith that a just solution will be found for all," he said.
The Freeport would not comment at this stage.
The situation, which revolves around a disagreement between the GWU and the Malta Dockers' Union over who enjoys majority membership among Freeport workers, has been brewing for the past months.
However, it reached boiling point in the past weeks after the company recognised the MDU.
Industrial action ordered by the GWU was met by court action by the Freeport, which effectively froze all the union's assets.
Over the past days, particularly, the GWU was in contact with foreign unions in an attempt to rally an international boycott of the Malta Freeport, insisting that the court action was anti-democratic.
Now that a truce has been brokered, another meeting is expected to be held this week with Mr Dalli to discuss a solution to the issue of union recognition.