Friday, 26th June 2009 - 15:59CET

Attard Sultana was dismissed "in the interest of the union" - Zarb

The secretary general of the General Workers’ Union could not list the exact reason behind the dismissal of one of his officials telling a tribunal that the dismissal was "in the interest of the union".

Taking the witness stand in the case initiated by former official Josephine Attard Sultana against the union, Mr Zarb said the decision to fire her was taken by the national council on August 8, 2006.

Ms Attard Sultana is calling on the tribunal to declare that her dismissal from the union in 2007 abusive, illegal and without legal basis.

She is holding Mr Zarb, deputy secretary general Gejtu Mercieca and other union officials responsible for the damages she suffered as a result of her dismissal.

Lawyer Andrew Borg Cardona asked Mr Zarb if Ms Attard Sultana had been dismissed after the civil court had issued a warrant prohibiting the union from meeting to discuss her dismissal.

He replied that the delegates were stopped from holding an extraordinary general meeting for the public services section but the council, which had the power to remove anyone from their post, was not stopped from discussing her removal.

When asked if she was present for the meeting where her employment was discussed he replied in the affirmative and said that when the accusations were made, she was given the chance to respond.

However, when asked, for three times, why she was fired he answered: “because it was in the interest of the union”. At one point, Mr Zarb said that one of the reasons was that she did not comply with a council directive to meet the administration.

He said that the decision was taken after the council had heard all parties involved. Mr Zarb mpointed out that it was the delegates of her section who asked for an extraordinary general meeting for her removal.

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Article © Allied Newspapers Ltd., printed on Sunday, November 22, 2009. This article is for personal use only, and should not be distributed.

Comments

ANTHONY mERCIECA (on 27/6/09)

Whoever forget the past is only denying himself a lifelong lesson that history repeats itself. Tony Zaerb's statements reminds me of the 1970-80 Labour Administration sic dictatorship where with the statement " in the interest of the country" decent citizens but no MLP sympathizers were steamrolled and suffocated, property taken from them to be change in MLP clubs etc etc

M. Catania (on 26/6/09)

Come in...come in...MLP and GWU apologists come in.....yes....awaiting your comments........

c. camilleri (on 26/6/09)

May i ask T. Zarb whether the GWU accepts such a lame excuse from an other employers? This is a clear cut case which shows the type of hypocrisy that the GWU practices.

Joseph Camilleri (on 26/6/09)

@ M.Callus: "I see lack of comments from the usual suspects!!!!" The usual suspects are only out when they have an opportunity to denigrate GonziPN.. @ J.Busuttil: well said!

Silvan Cutajar (on 26/6/09)

Unbelievable comments such as those of Charles Mizzi. The term dismissed is not proper. One is not dimissed from an office, but removed. A union official is nothing different than a paid managing director or a political party official. The rules are those of office and not of employment. We will have to wait and see the outcome of this case and hope the media publishes the outcome with same prominence.

Andrew Gatt (on 26/6/09)

@ Charles Mizzi I fully agree with you. BUT Messrs Zarb & Co can do what the hell they want. Luckily for me, (and I can tell from your comments) also for you, Mr Zarb does not represent us. It is up to his union members to take note of how their leader and his colleagues express themselves. What a big difference between what is said by my two Gaetanos and Tony and the other Gejtu. I stick to mine. Not perfect, but GENUINE !!!

Mario Mercieca (on 26/6/09)

Why not add "and PL"

M Callus (on 26/6/09)

I see lack of comments from the usual suspects!!!!

Silvan Cutajar (on 26/6/09)

Josephine: So if a political party secretary general (paid post) is removed, you will argue the same way? Political parties, unions and organisations have remunerated posts that are ruled by their statutes. It is not an employment post but an office par excelence.

martin saliba (on 26/6/09)

So what happens if a company fires someone and the reason they give is " In the interest of the company ". Will TZ order a strike untill he gets the answer he wants ? Were it up to me i would fire TZ as , in my view , he has not allways acted in the best interest of the worker and the country.

J Busuttil (on 26/6/09)

What will be the reaction of the GWU if the Government dismisses one of it's workers 'in the interest of the Nation"

Charles Mizzi (on 26/6/09)

Would Mr. Zarb accept a dismissal effected by any Board of Directors or any Management of any company on the presumption that the dismissal was effected "in the interest of the company" ? Is Mr. Zarb a Trade Unionist or an employer in the days of Dickens ? I believe that in the real "interest of the Union", Mr. Zarb and his Central Administartion quartet should resign immediately.

M.Bezzina (on 26/6/09)

@Josephine Borg "Viva il Haddiem". So long as the employer is not Dr.Gonzi ridt tghid nahseb!!

Josephine Borg (on 26/6/09)

"Viva il Haddiem". So long as the employer is not the General Workers' Union...

Attard Sultana was dismissed "in the interest of the union" - Zarb

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