Tony Zarb is going nowhere yet. Photo: Darrin Zammit LupiTony Zarb has called for “patience” because he will still be around after the General Workers’ Union’s forthcoming congress.
In a tongue-in-cheek comment at the end of the annual conference of the union’s public sector section, Mr Zarb clarified he would not be stepping down in October.
“I will not be around for the congress after this because I would have reached retirement age in the interim period, but to all those who have haste in seeing me go I ask for patience because I still have some more time to dedicate the union,” he said yesterday with a grin on his face.
It was Mr Zarb who spoke of retiring last week and many took it that he would be stepping down in October when the union held elections for its executive.
In a brief speech, the union boss criticised companies which employed care workers in the health sector for toying around with work conditions.
To all those who have haste in seeing me go I ask for patience
He did not mention them by name but warned them to change their ways “or face the union’s wrath”.
The GWU will ask for these companies to be blacklisted from public contracts, Mr Zarb added, saying it was useless shedding crocodile tears afterwards.
He mocked the creation of an in-house union for care workers by the employers.
“This is the gift they gave care workers... a union with officials chosen by the employer.”
Mr Zarb also urged care workers to join the GWU and pledged support to their cause against precarious work.
He also criticised the Chamber for Small and Medium Enterprises, GRTU, for refusing to attend a meeting at the Malta Council for Economic and Social Development that will discuss precarious work.
The GRTU has criticised Government regulations to stem the proliferation of precarious jobs in certain sectors including care workers and security.