Enemalta staff ‘satisfied’ with PL’s job guarantee
Tony Zarb. Photo: Darrin Zammit Lupi
Enemalta employees are satisfied with Labour leader Joseph Muscat’s guarantee that their jobs are secure, according to General Workers’ Union chief Tony Zarb.
The union, which represents the vast majority of the corporation’s employees, welcomed Dr Muscat’s declaration on the jobs of the 1,558 people employed with the State energy supplier, Mr Zarb said.
The GWU’s general secretary was asked about the union’s stand on the jobs pledge made by Dr Muscat following his proposal of private sector investment in gas-powered electricity generation at the Delimara power station.
Dr Muscat has also said that under his watch, Enemalta would not be privatised.
Mr Zarb said Dr Muscat held a meeting with Enemalta employees behind closed doorsat the Rialto theatre in Cospicua last week where he answered their queries.
During the meeting, the party gave employees a detailed presentation of its energy proposal to build a new gas-fired power plant at Delimara to enable the government to reduce tariffs by 25 per cent for households and businesses.
They were also told that through its plan, the party was earmarking millions of euro to save the debt-ridden company and that this would, in turn, save their jobs.
“We are satisfied with the assurances given by Joseph Muscat to all the Enemalta workers that their jobs are guaranteed. They asked him whatever they liked and aired their concerns. After the meeting, the employees too were satisfied with this job guarantee,” Mr Zarb said.
Asked whether those working in energy generation would also be retained, especially when the Marsa power station was closed down once and for all, Mr Zarb said there was a wrong impression that most of Enemalta’s employees worked in generation.
Of the 1,558 employees, about 350 have clerical duties, some 600 work outside the power stations, others work in its petroleum division and in distribution centres while around 400 are employed in generation. These, he said, had their jobs guaranteed.
“This, for us and for them, is peace of mind.”
He confirmed that the union had been involved in the talks with the Labour Party over the future of the employees.
Asked what would happen to those who worked at Marsa, Mr Zarb said they would be shifted to the Delimara plant. He also confirmed that the union had been given the party’s word that the privatisation of Enemalta was being ruled out.
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Ms D. Borg
Jan 23rd, 17:55
He would say that would'nt he? Anybody had any doubts basta jtihom palata lill PL. History will repeat itself.
Jay Oatmon
Jan 23rd, 11:34
The only effective job guarantees are those based on a fully executed contract by both parties, with proper legal terms and conditions - anything else is worth about as much as a politicians promise.
Jay Oatmon
Jan 23rd, 11:22
So Mr Zarb guy can speak with certainty for others - the actual workers - yeah right!
A pace
Jan 23rd, 11:03
One has a feeling of La storia si ripete
A. Zammit
Jan 23rd, 10:21
GWU members historically always gain under a Nationalist Govt. but always lose under a Labour Govt.
Henry Micallef
Jan 23rd, 09:04
As if Tony Zarb would say otherwise..
Halluna
Mr Karl Ciarlo'
Jan 23rd, 08:19
I wonder what's so different about Enemalta employees. Where was Tony Zarb when the privatisation process of Telemalta started way back in 1997/8 and thereafter?
Joe Tabone
Jan 23rd, 07:54
Tony Zarb and GWU are lapping at Labour's feet as usual.
While other Unions are making concrete proposals for the Labour market, what are the GWU proposing?
twanny borg
Jan 23rd, 06:53
mill-elezjoni inbidlu hafna affarijiet. tal-airmalta kollha telqu b'somma kbira ta' flus qablilhom. rigward il-gwu aktar taqdi l-pl u aktar ghandha tbezza l-haddiema tal-enemalta. fi zgur taht il-pn ghax mhux se jaghmel power station mill-privat. tghid il-haddiema se jigu transferiti lil privat?
Carmelo Aquilina
Jan 23rd, 00:16
so we get to retain 'Drydocks Mark II' because none of the political parties have the guts to state the obvious- jobs will have to go or bills will have to go up again to keep servicing the debt Enemalta has..one cannot simultaneously lower energy tariffs and keep the inefficient bloated state dinosaur intact (and I am not talking about Tony Zarb !)
Jean Paul Micallef
Jan 23rd, 07:50
You can if you want. Easy as ABC, you have to act, and do things like the private sector...mhux ticassa.
Modernisation and investment is the key to any buisness, u Enemalta is no exception.
Raymond Sammut
Jan 22nd, 23:21
"Job guarantee" in 2013! Dr Muscat cannot possibly be heralding a new era. Where does the money come from when someone "guarantees" 1,558 jobs in a small economy such as Malta's?
Dr Muscat should, instead, guarantee Maltese voters that wages will be paid from revenues generated by the concern that employes its employes. Paying wages from tax-payers' money should be unacceptable to voters.
M Farrugia
Jan 22nd, 23:16
"Mr Zarb said Dr Muscat held a meeting with Enemalta employees behind closed doors at the Rialto theatre in Cospicua last week where he answered their queries"
Not in power yet and already doing things "behind closed doors". What could have been told which is not in everybody's interest?
Jonathan Camilleri
Jan 22nd, 22:45
Why are Enemalta staff so scared of being privatized?
J. Debono
Jan 23rd, 07:57
Ghax fil-privat insiha li tippancja u titlaq!!
Ray Buhagiar
Jan 22nd, 21:47
As if JM was going to say otherwise.
Peter Murray
Jan 22nd, 21:04
Lest we foget -Gonzi "guaranteed" Air Malta employees their jobs last pre-election time!
J Martinelli
Jan 23rd, 00:46
Peter Murray, you are absolutely right. The difference between the NP and the LP is that the NP makes decisions which in the short term may hurt some but save the taxpayers millions while the LP takes populist decisions in the short term, but resulting in long term pain for the taxpayers.
Need to remind you of the MLP hiring 8000 on the eve of the 1987 election? Even so, it backfired on them.
Please choose the reason of your report below: