Enemalta Corporation has rejected claims of abuse and discrimination by the General Workers’ Union and turned down a call for an investigation.
GWU general secretary Tony Zarb yesterday listed 39 grievances and said Enemalta wanted to get rid of workers in the credit control section against the provisions of the collective agreement.
The union published several affidavits to back some of its major claims. Mr Zarb, Christopher Galea, Jason Deguara, Charles Magro, David Galea and Norman Attard signed an affidavit claiming that a top Enemalta official, whom they name, admitted GWU members were being discriminated against.
He said industrial action taken so far had been done responsibly, ensuring Malta did not suffer power cuts. In fact, certain workers in the most “sensitive” jobs were specifically exempted, despite wanting to “support their colleagues”. Yet, the industrial action had still been criticised “unfairly” by the Finance Ministry and by the Chamber of Commerce, Enterprise and Industry.
Mr Zarb said the action would be suspended if Enemalta agreed to the setting up of a board of inquiry within two days. He called on the Chamber of Commerce, Enterprise and Industry to support the proposal.
Meanwhile, Mr Magro, the GWU shop steward at Enemalta, signed another affidavit saying a senior official, whom he named, offered him €23,000 to accept a transfer – “for no reason” – of one of Enemalta’s employees.
This money, he said, was the equivalent due as extra payment to the workers of the credit control section, which had, so far, been refused because targets were not met.
Among his list of grievances, Mr Zarb said he was “asking” whether the senior official who allegedly offered the money to Mr Magro had promoted his cousin to a higher pay scale and allowed him to work only three days a week and receive full pay.
When contacted, a spokesman for the Chamber of Commerce, Enterprise and Industry said it was not in a position to comment at this stage.
Enemalta denied the claims of discrimination and said the two officials named by the union would defend their integrity through all legal means because the claims against them were also false.
It said the credit control section had been dismantled because the corporation no longer issued bills or collected money. Instead of making the workers redundant, Enemalta found alternative work for them in the same grade.
However, the GWU wanted the workers to continue working a 12-hour shift, including on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays, collecting money from industries when these would be closed. Enemalta said the union was blocking every step being taken to serve customers.
It apologised for the inconvenience caused as a result of the GWU action adding the industrial action had blocked more than 1,000 applications for services.