Labour Party leadership contender George Abela was yesterday received at the General Workers' Union, where he had served as an adviser for a number of years before resigning a few years ago.
In an interview with The Sunday Times last month, Dr Abela said he had decided to sever all links with the GWU when the administration urged him to sign a declaration to abide by its directives. He said he had been giving a service to the GWU for 26 years.
Dr Abela told his interviewer that the union had chosen to analyse the impact of EU membership by commissioning impact assessment reports for different sectors. It also had established that the issue of EU membership should be decided via a referendum. But, ultimately, the GWU mirrored the MLP and refused to issue the reports and ignore the referendum result, he said.
Dr Abela said he was satisfied with the welcome he was given yesterday and pointed out that his meetings with the union had now been going on for a number of weeks.
Dr Abela said it was natural for the MLP to work hand in hand with the GWU but the union's autonomy should be preserved. The statutory union between the two in the past might not have been ideal but the GWU and the MLP shared the same ideological basis and many union members were also members of the MLP.
Trade unions, Dr Abela said, should be the MLP's conscience.
On the GWU's relations with other unions, Dr Abela said he believed this was critical especially at a time when Maltese workers were facing difficulties. It was the responsibility of unions to protect them. In such situations, he said, why should unions not forget their differences and present a common front?
He pointed out that the GWU's strength had always to be respected.
Union general secretary Tony Zarb said the GWU had taken several initiatives in a bid to present a common front with other unions but the right formula had not yet been found. Unions had to start trusting one another and they had to shed their pride. The GWU was not against working with others in the interest of workers and their families.
Mr Zarb said the MLP should remain a workers' party. It should carry on striving to strengthen the welfare state and make sure the concept of social justice remains on the national agenda.
As an alternative government, the opposition had to work both within and outside Parliament. It should continue working with the unions.
When the MLP worked with the GWU a lot of good was achieved for workers and the country, Mr Zarb said. The GWU was willing to continue working with the MLP's administration and it expected to be respected in return.