10 years ago - The Times
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
600 on four-day week at Methode
Six hundred employees will start working for four days a week from Monday as leading manufacturer Methode Electronics Ltd responds to the global recession by cutting costs.
The company exports electrical equipment to car manufacturers, which have recently seen a sudden decline in international demand as a result of the global financial turmoil. The slump in worldwide automotive sales has meant fewer orders in the company’s books.
In fact, yesterday’s move comes just weeks after another major manufacturer, Trelleborg, that supplies O rings for the car industry, went for a four-day week in identical circumstances.
The General Workers’ Union said the only other option was to reduce the workforce but, thanks to the union’s efforts, this was avoided. After a full day of negotiations it was decided that workers would start on a four-day week for the next month, after which the situation will be re-examined.
The union also made sure no one will be forced to take leave and that all employees, including management and those working in the company’s factories around Europe, will also have their week reduced.
25 years ago - The Times
Friday, October 29, 1993
Labour MPs urged to find solution to unemployment
The deputy secretary general of the Council of Europe yesterday made a plea to ministers meeting in Malta to try to find a solution to Europe’s unemployment problem.
Mr Peter Leuprecht made the appeal at the opening of the fifth conference of CoE Labour Ministers at the Mediterranean Conference Centre in Valletta.
He said: “I fervently hope that out of this meeting can come, if not the solution, then at least the beginning of a new way forward in the search for solutions to this crucial problem of unemployment.”
PN objection to nomination
The Nationalist Party yesterday objected to the nomination of prospective Valletta local council independent candidate Joe Caruana Curran.
In a statement issued yesterday the party said that although his vote was registered in Valletta, Mr Caruana Curran lived in Naxxar.
The commission had already been notified about the case by the Labour Party in June and the Nationalist Party said that after four months, the commission should have made its investigations.
Half a century ago - Times of Malta
Tuesday, October 29, 1968
Large-scale Nato exercise in Central Mediterranean
The close links that bind the Royal Navy and Malta will be revived once again, even if for a short time, at the weekend when units of the Western Fleet will be in Grand Harbour in readiness for a large-scale Nato exercise to be held in the Central Mediterranean commencing early next month.
Both Nato sources and Naval Headquaters in Malta have maintained close secrecy on the movements of Allied warships in the Mediterranean because of the increasing Russian naval presence. It is known however, that one of the visiting warships will be the guided missile destroyer HMS Kent in which the Rhodesian Prime Minister Mr Ian Smith and his delegation were accompanied for the recent talks with the British Prime Minister Mr Harold Wilson.
The exercise has been code-name ‘Eden Apple’ and will involve the naval and air forces of Britain, the United States, Italy, Greece and Turkey. The initial plans for the exercise have been extended in scope mainly as a result of the increasing Russian naval strength in the Middle Sea.
Britain was asked to provide more air support for the exercise and as a result a squadron of carrier-borne aircraft are flying from the UK, direct to Malta and will operate from Luqa.