A total of 414 workers at Malta Shipyards have so far applied to take up the early retirement schemes, Finance Minister Tonio Fenech said yesterday.

He said the GWU had held a meeting for shipyard workers to explain the details of the agreement reached last week on the revised early retirement schemes and the government itself would be writing to all the workers to explain the improvements.

A total of 337 had applied by the time the agreement was announced last Friday.

Mr Fenech, who was speaking on Radio 101, said the fact that the 414 who had applied had already found alternative employment was significant in itself, showing the strength of the employment sector.

When the schemes were announced last month, a reduction of the dockyard workforce by about 700 was indicated as being necessary for the enterprise to be attractive for potential buyers.

Malta Shipyards employs 1,627 workers.

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