The General Workers’ Union yesterday criticised the “scaremongering campaign” on Air Malta employees, after The Sunday Times revealed the government would possibly not be able to absorb extra workers.

This campaign was discouraging workers and pushing them to take decisions against their wishes at such a crucial time, the union said in a statement yesterday.

Their harsh criticism comes a day after The Sunday Times reported that employing extra Air Malta staff in the public service may be forbidden because the EU could interpret this as a form of state aid. Around 600 of the airline’s 1,500 staff are expected to go if Air Malta is to survive, the newspaper reported.

At a time when discussions were still ongoing, comments like this were unhelpful and could scare workers into accepting an early retirement scheme against their will, GWU said.

At delicate moments such as these, the union appealed to the Air Malta workers not to allow such tactics to distract them or discourage them.

GWU will today be meeting the workers at 5.30 p.m. at the Workers Memorial Building, Valletta.