The Union Ħaddiema Magħqudin ordered workers at the Tax Compliance Unit not to use the telephone, accusing the government of taking too long to negotiate their agreement.

The union said it was proposing that the workers in the division - accountants and senior accountants - be treated like other government workers in their grade, including a revision in their salary.

"Even though we held many meetings on these proposals and the situation was explained in detail, the government has still not presented written counter-proposals," a union spokesman said.