The GWU said today that its representatives had walked out of a meeting with members of Arriva's management.

The union explained that during a meeting with Arriva drivers, the section secretary was informed that Arriva management was requesting an urgent meeting.

When the management was informed that the section secretary had other meetings, the management insisted, saying the meeting was urgent and could involve the future of the company in Malta.

A number of meetings were cancelled so that the GWU representative could meet the management.

The meeting was held in the presence of workers' representatives, despite a request by the management to exclude them.

The GWU said it quickly became clear that the purpose of the meeting was for the management to learn what had been said at the meeting between the section and the drivers. The union said the company attributed matters supposedly said in the meeting, which were never actually said.

At this point the section secretary and the workers' representatives walked out.

The union said it was disgusted by the company's attitude and would not tolerate such behaviour. 

It urged workers to remain united in such an important time.

The Sunday Times of Malta reported last Sunday that Arriva has threatened to quit if it continued to make losses at current levels. It has reportedly run up losses of some €30m in two years.

The company is deadlocked in talks with the government on the return of bendy buses and on the introduction of a revised routes network.