The General Workers' Union will be joining the Labour Party's manifestation against the new energy rates on Sunday but will also go a step further by holding its own protest the following Thursday.

Through its demonstration, the union will be pushing for the tariffs to be revised, otherwise workers should be compensated, GWU general secretary Tony Zarb said.

Mr Zarb said the union had sent letters to the four political parties and invited social partners and organisations to attend the demonstration.

Speaking at a press conference yesterday to give the union's official reaction to the Budget, Mr Zarb said a separate rally for members will be held next Tuesday.

Mr Zarb said companies had approached the union worried about their future and considering introducing shorter working weeks or even making lay-offs.

Before the Budget, companies were already concerned about the global financial situation but the new measures and the utility bills had added to their problems, he said.

Although the press conference was about the Budget, Mr Zarb barely spoke about any of the measures announced. Asked if he had any comments to make, he said that while the Budget had some good points, the utility tariffs could not be taken out of the equation.

Though he noted that most of its proposals had not been included in the Budget, Mr Zarb said the union welcomed the incentives to encourage women to return to work, and measures encouraging the use of alternative energy, which it had proposed.

However, the Budget had added to the hardships imposed by the utility tariffs by raising taxes and charges, including higher duties on petrol and diesel and increased annual road licences.