Updated:ATP workers' jobs guaranteed

The Transport Ministry and the UHM have reached an agreement which guarantees the jobs of the employees of the Public Transport Association (ATP) for 10 years.

In terms of the agreement, the new bus service operating company will be obliged to engage all the ATP workers who wish to work with it, while retaining the current salaries as a minimum.

The operator may not declare these workers redundant during its entire 10-year contract. Failure to observe these conditions will make the operator liable to a €60,000 fine for each employee.

The talks were led by UHM president Gejtu Tanti while Emanuel Delia, head of secretariat, headed the ministry's delegation.

A spokesman for the ministry explained to timesofmalta.com that the agreement covers employees in the ATP's administration and others engaged on services such as bus dispatchers. It does not include the current bus drivers, who are the actual owners of the buses or employees of the bus owners.