The former representative of Arriva employees within the General Workers Union had expected drivers to be paid as much as airline pilots, GWU general secretary Tony Zarb said today.

Testifying in court in the libel suit he filed against Samuel Grech, the former representative, Mr Zarb said union officials had had to convince Mr Grech that this could not be done and, subsequently, an agreement was reached with Arriva for drivers to be paid €6 an hour.

The libel suit was over an interview Mr Grech had given Il-Mument of February 17, in which he made a number of allegations.

He had said that the GWU either did nothing for Arriva workers or worked against their interests.

Mr Zarb denied this was the case.

He said that a number of other allegations were made in the article about what was said during the negotiations which were also untrue.

These included that the cost of living increase would be included in their salary increase, which was not the case.