Minutes of the Malta Council for Economic and Social Development quoting Vince Farrugia as referring to workers as rats did not reflect what he really said, the council of the Chamber of Small and Medium Enterprises – GRTU said.

The GRTU council chastised the General Workers’ Union and its general secretary, Tony Zarb, accusing them of twisting the minutes in such a way as to personally attack Mr Farrugia.

The council expressed solidarity with Mr Farrugia, who is the GRTU’s director general.

The issue began in January when, during the television programme Affari Tagħna, Mr Zarb quoted from MCESD minutes saying Mr Farrugia had referred to workers, who according to the GWU were doing precarious jobs, as rats. Mr Farrugia denied this and even filed a libel suit against Mr Zarb.

The GRTU council said the issue had been “invented and manipulated” by the GWU to damage the GRTU and to try to intimidate Mr Farrugia in a bid not to allow him to continue with his work in the best interest of SMEs, workers and the self-employed.