'GWU has no dispute with Arriva'
The General Workers Union said this morning it was not in dispute with Arriva and had issued no ‘stop work’ directive.
It was reaction to action taken yesterday by around 40 bus drivers who abandoned their route and went to the union after they received their pay cheque.
In a statement, the union encouraged workers to follow guidelines given by union officials and to be careful of situations they could be placed in by people who had ulterior motives.
It said that, as it had always done, it would defend the workers once they appeared at the Disciplinary Board.
The union said that the agreement it signed with Arriva included benefits and wage increases and fewer hours, and not wage reductions as was being alleged.
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Tony Zammit
Oct 28th 2012, 05:52
If I was to issue a license to these drivers, I would only issue it if they could pass through Portes des Bombes opening. I was on a BMC once and this young old bus driver had no other choice then to pass though there to get us to our destination, since there was a car accident on the side going to Valletta.
Today drivers they pull to the side and have a break.
Neville Carabott
Oct 28th 2012, 01:57
U bilhaqq issa spicca zmien il-buzulotti,ghax hekk kien qalilna l-onorevoli austin gatt.
Edward Farrugia
Oct 28th 2012, 01:26
Why all this concern that either party in the political arena may or may have been engaged in marriage to anyone of the unions. This is natural nowadays when politicians, more on the LP side, are all out to aknowledge marriages amongst gays of the same sex. This is a progressive world, my friends, and nothing constitues a surprise for the mading crowd of to-day.!
Robin Barman
Oct 27th 2012, 21:15
How is the wage structure made up ? Standard format would be an hourly rate over an agreed minimum scheduled working hours per week. Due to a shortage of drivers, maybe the weekly amount of hours worked is over the minimum, therefore should be paid as overtime. I doubt very much that any of the drivers have contracts that GUARANTEED overtime included. Doesn't appear to be much in defence drivers .
Joseph Aquilina
Oct 27th 2012, 17:08
Regretfully ARRIVA has been given such bad publicity that whatever they try to do or say is simply shot down and ridiculed unfairly. This is solely the effect of politicising an issue of national importance. As far as certain commenators find something which they feel that they can blame the government for, they just go for it - no matter what. We never grow up!!
GL Calleja
Oct 27th 2012, 17:37
Mr Aquilina it seems like most commentators agree with Arriva this time. Fire the lot. Even the GWU is staying away from this one, or it seems.
Robin Barman
Oct 28th 2012, 01:38
No Mr Calleja dont fire them, educate them. A lot of company's policies are outside of Maltese working ethics.
carmel muscat
Oct 27th 2012, 16:46
dan mux agir tajjeb min naha tas sewwiqa ta larriva hadt mandu id drit li jaqbad u jiqaf mix xol lanqas jekk qiehed ikollu ragun 100 fil 100 is soluzjoni mux li wiehed ma jamilx xollu imma li jitfa l ilment lil union u lunion tiehu il kass u tmexxi il haddiema hekk ghandom issijru laffarijiet - - - - - - - - - - -
Neville Carabott
Oct 27th 2012, 19:37
Veru mhux agir tajjeb u naqbel mieghek,imma kollu ghalxejn li tmur ghand l-union.jien fejn nahdem kelli kaz simili u hekk ghamilna,morna ghand l-union.Biex wara ntbahna li l-union kienet qed thokk dar lill min kien qed ihaddimna u vici versa.Kollox miftijem minn qabel sar ikun illum il-gurnata.l-union spiccat u ghalkemm jien inhallas ghax qieghed f-wahda,naghmel hekk ghax hekk jaghmel kullhadd.
Donna Parnis
Oct 27th 2012, 16:19
Try doing your jobs if you want better wages. Everyday there is a missing bus in Zejtun, today no bus came for 1 1/2 hours and they are supposed to be every 1/2 hour,
vincent Lia
Oct 27th 2012, 20:58
Well said Donna. It is about time that the real culprits who have been sabotaging Arriva get named. The disgrace is that they have been encouraged by political activist to show that this government cannot do anything right. About time that anything that is of National interesest be 'declared' to be of National interest not just stop at Smart City.
Steven Smith
Oct 28th 2012, 04:36
thats because they are another 40 drivers short....do you expect them to work miracles? they can not do all the routes if staff decide to walk out and get suspended...
joe vella
Oct 27th 2012, 16:13
the fact is you now have to work overtime to get your basic
P Sciberras
Oct 27th 2012, 15:14
Most propably these drivers had the insurance premium deducted from their wages for any accidents they must have had. If this was the reason,did any agreement was signed between the drivers and Arriva ?
GL Calleja
Oct 27th 2012, 16:05
No matter what, you do not abandon a bus with passengers half way through a route. No excuse can justify the walkout, the least they could have done is finish their routes and then they can protest all they want. This is something like a mutiny on a ship and these renegade drivers must be terminated.
GL Calleja
Oct 27th 2012, 14:34
These are renegade drivers who abandoned their customers half way. The GWU said it was not in dispute with Arriva and had issued no ‘stop work’ directive. There are thousands of people out of work looking for a job. Sort out the bad potatoes from the good. If these drivers were in the right the GWU would have been there for them.
Anthony Pace
Oct 27th 2012, 14:18
The GWU should defend these workers rights. They do have a dispute with manageent if the members wages are reduced.
Jeremy J Camilleri
Oct 27th 2012, 17:10
Have you read ANYTHING about this saga?
James Dewar
Oct 27th 2012, 22:19
A little knowledge can be dangerous!
Roy Schembri
Oct 27th 2012, 14:17
Someone must be in dispute otherwise 40 people wouldn't walk out. Time the GWU came out from hiding and stand up to Arriva and ensure proper agreements are made. That ought to have been done at start when rotas, hours were changed without consultation. But because they (and the MLP) are sitting on a fence, Arriva's antics will continue to the detriment of the travelling public.
George Joseph Cauchi
Oct 27th 2012, 15:09
As far as I know the PL is not in Government so its not sitting on any fences.
paul camilleri
Oct 27th 2012, 13:51
and whats this GWU is not supporting its members?? oh heaven help us, this is just a reminder of the times the GWU was married to the MLP so we all know what to expect if the LP are elected in the next election!!!!!
Desmond Mangion
Oct 27th 2012, 15:13
If you like this situation then vote for pn again , have a nice trip
paul camilleri
Oct 27th 2012, 15:32
@ Magion
Maybe you were still in nappies when MLP and the GWU were married and the beginning of a wage freeze was in put in place and amoungst other things the then GWU did not allow strikes my friend i rather have a riketry bus service than risk being robbed of my rights to protest!! bon voyage
Nazzareno Cortis
Oct 27th 2012, 16:08
Paul ---can you tell me with whom all the other unions are married to????????? Come on grow up!!!!!!
Jeremy J Camilleri
Oct 27th 2012, 17:11
Read the article...if it takes a word a go for you to understand it, read it slowly.
paul camilleri
Oct 28th 2012, 06:46
@ cortis and J Camilleri
i guess LP supporters dont take criticism so well but are very able to criticize...
paul camilleri
Oct 27th 2012, 13:49
could the short wage packet be funds deducted from damages caused to a bus by these drivers? but no that cant be because according to the law one cannot deduct from your wage, unless there is an agreement reached by Arriva and the GWU?
Ivan Falzon
Oct 27th 2012, 13:41
All of Arriva's departments are poor so why should the accounts section be different?
Fran Abela
Oct 27th 2012, 13:39
Luke Scicluna - whilst one still has to establish whether the drivers' claims that their salaries have been reduced, it still is not right that they walked out and abandoned the passengers. In other private companies people who walk out on their job are subject to instant dismissal. They should have gone to their Union. Working for free ?! - the drivers are getting paid.
twanny borg
Oct 27th 2012, 12:22
li nixtieq nistaqsi lil gwu huwa jekk kienx hemm xufiera li qabdu paga bin-nieqes iva jew le? jidher li l-haddiema m'ghandhomx fiducja fl'arriva u lanqas fil-union ghax kieku ma kienux jabbandunaw ix-xoghol.
Justin Tabone
Oct 27th 2012, 13:37
Twanny, il-veirta hi, li hemm min ghandu nteress li jxewwex lil haddiema kontra l-gwu u l-Arriva fl-istess hin. Xenarju ta' ...tra due litigantim il terzo gode....... Hija sitwazzjoni fejn il-haddiema qed jigu mhawwda apposta u gabuhom f'sitwazzjoni li l-anqas il-pay slip ma jifhmu. Il-collective agreement li ffirmaw kien wiehed li tejjeb il-kundizzjonjiet tax-xoghol u zieda tajba fil-paga.
C Cassar
Oct 27th 2012, 12:11
Well, there is no option now but to fire all 40 dtrivers as they have clearly been in breach of contract as the GWU did not sanction the walk out. Additionally, they should not be paid a single Euro from the minute they stopped work.
Jay Oatmon
Oct 27th 2012, 13:06
Why am I not surprised some militant drivers decided to walk off the job because of a rumour - are they that easily deceived, or did they know precisely what they were doing?
Arriva should start a 're-eduction campaign' with those who genuinely want to work and fire the rest.
Both sides should be aware that 25% of Spaniards are out of work and need jobs.
Luke Scicluna
Oct 27th 2012, 13:14
I'd like to see you work for free.
Charles Cremona
Oct 27th 2012, 13:20
C.Cassar: If these drivers have had their wages reduced then they have a reason to be upset, you would be upset if in their situation. They say they complained to management with no avail, if that's the case then managment should be held responsible for this farce. As you said earlier Arriva drivers are the worst in the EU,well if that's the case then the management are not doing their job.
Victor Vella
Oct 27th 2012, 13:45
Sur Cassar qabel tibda` titfa` t-tajn ara x`kien hemm in fondo. Min qallek li dawn il-haddiema strajkaw. Jekk il-management ma ta` ebda raguni u nahseb li anke l-union talli sabu tnaqqis mill-paga xi tridhom jaghmlu. Jahdmu ghall-lasta? Jekk int fidiel daqshekk li tahdem ghalxejn nahseb li m`intiex normali.
C Cassar
Oct 27th 2012, 13:55
@Charles Cremona:
The employees are members of a union. They should put their complaints to the union, GWU who represent their interests. That is the civilised and professional way to discuss a disputed issue, not to walk out of your responsibilities. Therefore they are in breach of contract and must be fired without a single Euro of compensation and no pension.
Francis Bellizzi
Oct 27th 2012, 15:49
Walking off the job is called " Gross misconduct ". At a disciplinary hearing the result is usually dismissal. But can Arriva afford to dismiss forty drivers. Don`t think so. If they did there won`t be anyone left to work.
R. Farrugia
Oct 28th 2012, 10:56
@ Bellizzi - No worries, it takes only two weeks to train another 40, and there are many willing to take those machines for a ride hehe.
Please choose the reason of your report below: