The Union Ħaddiema Magħqudin said it had been granted recognition as the union which represented the majority of local council clerical staff and accused the General Workers’ Union of delaying discussions on the new collective agreement.

The UĦM said in a statement that the Employment Relations Department had informed it that it represented the majority of local council clerical staff. It said it started negotiations on the new collective agreement but the GWU was claiming it should have been granted recognition.

“This irresponsible behaviour is tarnishing relations between the two unions,” section secretary Josef Vella said.

But the GWU defended its position saying a verification exercise conducted earlier this year showed no union enjoyed representation of the majority of employees in all 68 councils, with each of them being deemed as an employer.

On the basis of this, it asked the Local Councils Association to organise a joint collective agreement for all staff with both unions. However, it said, the UĦM “refused to collaborate”.

The GWU did not know that another verification exercise had been conducted.

“The Registrar of Trade Unions or the LCA didn’t keep us informed of these developments. It is very strange, and it has never happened before that after a verification process is carried and the result published, another verification process is done after a few months. We hope this wasn’t done to favour or serve a privileged union,” a spokesman for the GWU said.

The UĦM is organising a meeting for all clerical staff to inform them of the latest developments and take decisions on the new collective agreement.