I refer to the front page article titled The GWU Invokes Labour Win To Boost Membership (April 8).
The General Workers’ Union has a section that caters for financial services employees. The section represents employees in both credit and financial institutions as well as of insurance companies and the stock broking sector.
The section has a collective agreement with Bank of Valletta and, until 1994, this covered all the bank’s employees, prior to the Malta Union of Bank Employees attaining recognition for a number of categories. From that point onwards representation at BOV was divided between unions on a request by the MUBE.
In recent weeks, a very large number of the bank’s employees resigned from the MUBE and joined the GWU while a number of those not affiliated to any union decided to join the GWU, which is interpreting this as discontent among many employees with the service given by the MUBE over the past years both on an individual and a collective level.
A number of new members specified that they did not resign before as they feared repercussions and only now did they pluck up the courage to do what they wanted to and join the GWU. Some others still remain fearful and specify that they want their membership to be confidential as they were approached by their superiors on various occasions and warned not to switch unions because that would embarrass the MUBE and the bank and that only MUBE can handle their concerns.
One employee who resigned from MUBE declared she was contacted and pressured three times over the phone and felt harassed. Others said they were promised commitments to address their causes when they signalled they would switch unions.
The GWU is taking note of these reports and approaching the bank for action to be taken.
Every union in Malta actively works to represent members and membership campaigns to recruit non-members in financial services are an ongoing process. Even MUBE constantly runs such campaigns.
The GWU is disappointed that The Times did not investigate further the claims supposedly made by bank employees. Questions are expected to be raised prior to printing such as story, such as why are employees switching unions. Are bank employees feeling they are not given an adequate service? Have recent bank collective agreements been interpreted as part losses for employees?
Furthermore, The Times took it for granted that reports were received whereby GWU officials or representatives were encouraging membership “because a new government is in place”. The GWU expected more research and evidence prior to printing such statements, which may convey a negative impression of this union’s work.
No union has a perpetual right to represent employees by default but workers have a right to select the union they wish to represent them. The GWU is ready and able to represent employees in the financial services industry and is doing its job in opening its doors accordingly.
It also cannot understand why the issue of precarious work and discussions with a cleaning operator were mentioned in this item without seeking comments by union officials on this aspect.