The majority of licensed port workers at Malta Freeport back the Malta Dockers Union, according to the outcome of a verification exercise conducted by the Director for Employment and Industrial Relations and announced this afternoon.

The General Workers Union, which had been demanding recognition as the workers' trade union representative, immediately slammed the announcement and said this had been "an appalling and shameful process". It said the process was tainted and undemocratic and did not reflect the free will of all port workers.

The announcement of the outcome of the verification came shortly after the General Workers' Union this afternoon directed licensed port workers to go slow and work to rule.

The GWU's directives came into effect at 4 p.m., two days after the union sent a letter requesting official recognition as the trade union representative of port workers. It had warned that unless it was granted recognition within 48 hours, it would feel free to take action.

Reacting to the verification, the GWU this evening said the Director of Employment and Industrial Relations, Dr Noel Vella has not provided a shred of evidence to back his 'assertions'.

Nor did he invite any party to monitor the 'so-called' verification process.

The GWU said it had no confidence in Dr Vella and it viewed the result of the verification process as tainted and undemocratic in that it did not at all reflect the free will of all port workers.

The GWU pointed out that in a secret ballot it commissioned last week, 83% confirmed the GWU as their union of choice. The poll was conducted independently by Prof. Ian Refalo.

See also:

http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20090407/local/port-workers-interviewed-on-union-recognition