A decision by Transport Minister Joe Mizzi and Transport Malta chairman James Piscopo on trade union recognition was overruled by the Industrial Tribunal.
The tribunal also ordered an independent verification process to determine union recognition at the new public transport provider.
Claiming it represented the majority of workers employed by the public transport company, Union Ħaddiema Magħqudin last year demanded a verification process by the Director for Industrial Relations.
However, during a meeting with Mr Mizzi, the government objected to such a process and argued that it should be done by the minister and the chairman of Transport Malta. The UĦM decided to take the issue to the Industrial Tribunal.
The tribunal decided that the verification process should be carried out by the proper channels, that is, the Director for Industrial Relations, and that it be completed by February 25.
Both the UĦM and the General Workers’ Union claim they represent the majority of workers.
We expected this process to be held a long time ago but it seems that there were other interests
A spokesman for the UĦM said yesterday it was a pity such a simple process had to end up before the Industrial Tribunal. “We expected this process to be held a long time ago but it seems that there were other interests,” he said.
The UĦM interprets the Industrial Tribunal’s decision as showing there is no place for ministers to try to intervene in union recognition matters.
The UĦM had already protested vehemently over the attitude of Transport Malta on similar issues.
Just a few days after Spanish company Autobuses de Leon took over public transport services, the UĦM objected to a meeting held by Mr Piscopo to introduce the company to the GWU. Insisting this showed lack of professionalism, the UĦM asked for a similar meeting to be held with its shop stewards.
Mr Piscopo defended his actions, saying he had only facilitated the meeting following a request by the GWU. He insisted that, at the time of the meeting, the GWU “was the sole recognised union by Malta Public Transport Limited”.