Some 300 public transport employees, about half the sector's workforce, stopped work at 8am this morning bringing some 68 bus routes to a complete standstill, according to the General Workers’ Union.

The company, however, said that all localities were serviced with some routes being combined to maintain an overall acceptable level of service.

General secretary designate Josef Bugeja told Times of Malta that the strike, which had been planned for May 2 had been averted but the company continued to drag its feet to pay employees part of their pay that was cut because they had not worked the hours stipulated in their contract.

The company has denied the claim. In a statement this afternoon, it expressed its disappointment with the union and insisted it had honoured the agreement reached in the past weeks.

It said that any and all deductions that were made in the payroll before April 30 were given back to employees, it said as it invited the union to verify its records.

"Should the Union persist with refusing to accept this invitation and to continue with the strikes, the company will have no alternative but to reverse the agreement," it said.

Mr Bugeja said the strike, which ends this morning at 11am but resumes for another three hours (between 4 and 7pm) this afternoon, may also be extended to tomorrow.

Driver Raymond Abela said he had been forced to bring a mattress to one of the cabin offices at the Valletta terminal to try and sleep for an hour or so in between long shifts.

“How can you have a wife or a family when you spend all your time behind the wheel. It is not even safe for passengers,” he said.

Times of Malta went to Msida at around 8.30am where bus flows seemed regular. Commuters said they did not experience problems.

50 per cent of the service has to be provided in terms of the law. Driver's committee official Thomas Abela said the required number was made up by all UHM's members as well as drivers who were still on probation.

Malta Public Transport said the 50 per cent requirement was even surpassed in some locations. 

Shop steward David Grech, however, said the strike had been effective though he complained about the non-participation of the Union Haddiema Maghqudin.

For some 20 minutes at around 9am, drivers on strike blocked alighting bays at the Valletta terminal with their “not in service” buses. They were eventually moved by Public Transport officials.

At around 10.30pm, the police also had to intervene in an altercation between a group of drivers and a Malta Public Transport official.

There are some 50 drivers on strike gathered in Valletta. Others are at Cirkewwa, Marsa, the Qawra terminal and Victoria .

Normal service resumed at 11am.