Records kept by the Malta Maritime Authority show that the Malta Dockers' Union represented the majority of port workers despite claims to the contrary by the General Workers' Union, correspondence seen by The Times shows.

In a letter to the GWU's maritime section secretary Charles Agius, the MMA said on Tuesday that, according to its official list of licensed port workers, the MDU was still the larger of the two unions at the docks.

The letter, seen by The Times, was sent on the same day the GWU daily l-orizzont ran a front page article stating that port workers were returning to its fold after resigning from the MDU.

The MMA asked Mr Agius to come forward with any relevant documentation that could support his claim for majority representation.

However, the authority insisted that for the time being the MDU would be recognised as the majority union.

Meanwhile, Malta Freeport Terminals yesterday also turned down a claim by the GWU for recognition as the majority union.

In a letter to Mr Agius, the Freeport insisted that the MMA's documentation did not support the claims made by the GWU.

Mr Agius was unavailable for comment yesterday as he is abroad but in a statement issued by the GWU it confirmed that a meeting would be held on Monday between the union and the MMA.

The meeting is expected to discuss the GWU's request to be recognised as the majority union at the docks, which would give the union the right to negotiate on behalf of all port workers.

Meanwhile, the MDU yesterday reiterated that it had 327 paid up members out of the 370 licensed port workers, making it the sole union eligible to negotiate on their behalf.