GWU rejects 'sabotage' charge

The General Workers' Union yesterday hit back at the Prime Minister after he accused it of trying to sabotage the government and said it would not be intimidated.

The Prime Minister made the accusation on Sunday, saying the union was making public internal and sensitive discussions with the social partners.

But the union insisted it had only exercised its duty to inform workers of what was going on in the country. The result was that it was being attacked by the Prime Minister, it complained.

Denying Lawrence Gonzi's accusation, the union's general secretary, Tony Zarb said that "if there is someone who is sabotaging the country it's the Prime Minister through his government, which is emptying the pockets of workers and pensioners as a result of the heavy burdens placed on them".

The union said Dr Gonzi would not intimidate it with his "arrogant tone", adding that his hysterical attack only showed that he did not want unions like the GWU that defended workers' rights.