The General Workers' Union has stopped insisting for trade union recognition at Malta Freeport, the president of the rival Malta Dockers' Union said today.

Speaking at the MDU general conference, Joe Saliba also announced he was stepping down, 18 months before the end of his term, so as to prove that contrary to rumours, he was not stuck to his post.

The MDU and the GWU had been locked in a bitter dispute for recognition by Malta Freeport, the issue also having been taken to court after the GWU ordered industrial action. The court had upheld a Malta Freeport request for a garnishee order against the GWU, freezing the union's assets. The order, and the industrial actions, were lifted following the intervention of Social Policy Minister John Dalli.

Mr Saliba told the general conference that following this debacle, the GWU had stopped insisting for recognition but it had done major damage and spread many unfounded allegations.

The MDU said that its general conference was attended by 268 licensed port workers out of the 327 who could turn up.

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