The General Workers Union has categorically denied there is agreement between the social partners within the Malta Council for Economic and Social Development for additional cost of living compensation for the increase in the price of fuel and gas not to be given.
Finance Minister Tonio Fenech yesterday told Parliament there will be no mid-stream change in the cost-of-living adjustment mechanism because both the government and the other members of the MCESD agreed that the current level of inflation was not excessive.
The GWU this afternoon condemned the minister's statement and described his behaviour as a manipulation which the union could never accept.
It said the minister knew that there was no decision yet in the MCESC on whether additional compensation should be given so much so that the minister still had to present the council with another report.
The minister also knew that the GWU was insisting clearly and categorically that compensation should be given to a wide spread of people.
The union said it would not allow the minister to hide behind the social partners.