Talks held this afternoon over union recognition at the Malta Freeport resulted in a stalemate with the GWU and the UHM still arguing over the verification process which needs to be held to establish which of the two unions has the majority of workers.

Sources close to the talks told Time of Malta that despite the intervention of the Malta Employers' Association – acting as mediator – no solution has been found yet.

While the GWU is claiming that it has now the majority of Freeport workers on its books and wants the verification process to be held immediately, the UHM is stating that it is still the recognised union and the verification process should be held according to normal procedures and law.

Both unions are now threatening industrial action at the Freeport.

“The GWU wants to have an immediate verification process while the UHM is agreeing to this process but contends that this should take its normal course.”

The sources said that the Freeport has been caught in the cross-fire even though it has no dispute with any of the unions.

In a statement, the Malta Dockers Union (MDU) appealed for a solution through dialogue as industrial actions will lead to further losses for the Maltese economy and its members (port workers) who have nothing to do with the dispute between the GWU and the UHM.

In another statement, the UHM called the industrial action ordered by the GWU at the Freeport over the weekend as illegal and accused the GWU of acting unilaterally irrespective of the current law and union verification procedures.

It referred to another dispute on recognition at Malta Transport Services and said that the GWU has been objecting for over a year to have it same verification process it now wants to hold immediately at the Freeport.