The 28 airport security officers who were made redundant on Tuesday have been reinstated after agreeing to be deployed elsewhere due to the slowdown of work in winter.

The group, employed with security firm G4S, accepted the company’s proposal to deploy them as security officers at other venues where it held contracts.

The company’s managing director, Kenneth De Martino, confirmed all 28 workers had been reinstated after a meeting organised by Director of Labour Noel Vella, who intervened at the eleventh hour.

G4S had been in talks with unions for weeks, discussing its proposal to redeploy some of its airport security personnel.

Some staff had refused several options the company gave them to address a seasonal slowdown, leaving the company with no option but to terminate their employment.

Redundancy letters were sent out on Tuesday, after failed talks with the General Workers’ Union and Union Ħaddiema Magħqudin.

Although airport workers are paid more than other security officers, the company offered to keep their salaries and proposed a roster system in different venues for 12 weeks.

Mr De Martino said a deal had been reached thanks to the intervention of the two unions, Dr Vella and the company’s management, who went to great lengths to keep the staff rather than lay them off.

G4S won the contract to provide security at the airport in February this year. It took over responsibility for 45 security officers who were working for the previous contractor.