10 years ago - The Sunday Times
Sunday, February 1, 2009
ST plans to axe 60% staff
ST Microelectronics has plans to lay off some 1,200 workers in the next few years, just over 60 per cent of its current workforce at the Kirkop plant, The Sunday Times has learnt. The Franco-Italian microchip maker giant has been planning such downsizing for the past couple of years while engaged in negotiations with the government, industry sources confirmed. But the international financial crisis has now precipitated the momentum for the layoffs.
Gatt should resign if bills are wrong – UĦM
The Union Ħaddiema Magħqudin will call for Infrastructure Minister Austin Gatt’s resignation if a report detailing the way the water and electricity tariffs were worked out, is found to be misleading.
“This is a mess mastered by Austin Gatt,” union general secretary Gejtu Vella said. He added that the process of social dialogue had failed and the water and electricity tariffs issue was completely mishandled.
The Malta Resources Authority is to explain its impact assessment report to the Malta Council for Economic and Social Development in the coming days.
25 years ago - The Times
Tuesday, February 1, 1994
Stevedores go out on strike
No containers were taken out of Laboratory Wharf by burdnara (stevedores) who started an indefinite protest action yesterday when their contract with Sea Malta was awarded elsewhere. They were also protesting against an additional fee for the use of a crane.
The action not to allow the loading of containers on trailers was ordered by Koperattivia tal-Burdnara after the contract which had been previously given to the cooperative by Sea Malta was awarded to a private contractor.
Cooperative chairman Paul Abela said “We have been carrying out Sea Malta’s work for more than 10 years, and from today the work has been passed on to a private contractor.”
A Sea Malta spokesman pointed out the company had issued a call for tenders last September and for commercial reasons it had awarded the one-year contract to a private contractor.
PA accused of breaking rules
The National Youth Council yesterday accused the Planning Authority of breaking its own rules. The council occupies premises on the site where the authority is constructing its new offices at St Francis Ravelin in Floriana. Youth council general secretary Ian Micallef said: “Accessibility is the first rule they are breaking.”
Half a century ago - Times of Malta
Saturday, February 1, 1969
Council of Europe resolution on Malta
The 18-nation Council of Europe today called on the European Common Market to create a trade association with Malta to help the island’s economy. A resolution passed unanimously by the Council’s Consultative Assembly here noted that Malta, smallest member of the Council, is faced with difficult readjustment problems resulting from the run-down of Britain’s defence establishment on the island.
The resolution welcomes the forthcoming negotiations envisaged between the six-nation Common Market and Malta.
Shackletons arrive to watch Soviet fleet movements
Four RAF Shackleton maritime aircraft sent to Malta from Northern Ireland to keep watch on Russian warships in the Mediterranean found two of them anchored more or less on their doorstep yesterday. They were a Russian cruiser and a destroyer anchored off Hurd Bank barely eight miles off the coast. No 203 Squadron sent to the Mediterranean as part of the new Nato maritime air command, joins Italian and American planes in maintaining air surveillance over the Mediterranean.