The GWU said today that it remained strongly in favour of the setting up of a Trades Union Council in Malta.

It was reacting to comments by UHM Secretary General Gejtu Vella who told a newspaper that the formation of a TUC would not benefit the workers and the UHM did not believe that this was the right time to form such a council.

The GWU said workers would be better able to face their difficulties of they were united. This, therefore was very much the ideal time to form a TUC.

The primary purpose of a TUC was not to stop or change government decisions through industrial action. However, united action in a TUC would enable the unions to achieve better results in the circumstances through talks at all levels.

The GWU recalled that it ha been working to set up a TUC for years, and had brought to Malta John Monks, who heads the European Confederation of Trade Unions. It had also backed John Bencini, chairman of the FORUM group of trade unions, when he sought to set up a TUC.

Its view was that the formation of the TUC would not rob any trade union of its autonomy, the GWU said, This had been amply proved in the UK.