The GWU said this afternoon that it is in talks with a number of foreign trade unions on arrangements for a boycott against CMA CGM - the owners of Malta Freeport - in several foreign ports.

"This action will be taken unless the freeport withdraws the actions it is taking against the GWU," the union said.

The GWU is in dispute with the Malta Dockers' Union on trade union recognition at Malta Freeport. A court last week granted a freeport request for the issue of a €1m garnishee order against the GWU after it ordered a go-slow and work to rule. The GWU yesterday accused the freeport of having abusively suspended three of its members for taking industrial action.

The GWU said its officials were engaged in intensive activity in Malta and abroad to win more support .

"The international support which the GWU is finding from trade unions is growing every day. These unions are viewing the granting of the garnishee order as a serious threat to the existence of trade unions even when they take limited industrial action," the GWU said.

MALTA FREEPORT DENIAL

Meanwhile Malta Freeport this afternoon denied a GWU claim that three port workers had been suspended for obeying directives for industrial action.

The freeport said the three had been suspended for parking their trucks near the gate and not in the established area, according to company procedures. It was the norm at Malta Freeport that when procedures were breached, the workers concerned would be suspending. Indeed, there were other employees who were under suspension for breaching procedures and regulations.

The freeport said one of the three workers indicated by the GWU would be returning to work tomorrow after admitting in a letter to the company that he had left the truck near the gate out of carelessness.

The company said other allegations made against it by the GWU had to be proved in court.