Telecommunications company GO plc filed a counter-protest rebutting claims made by two disabled workers who were allegedly suspended unjustly.

Technicians Paul Vella, 56, and Anthony Micallef, 48, who had worked within the sector for 30 years, were deployed in 2015 to KVH Computers, a company that provided services to GO.

In their judicial protest filed earlier this week, the two claimed they had been targeted by a direct order issued by GO calling for their 'indefinite suspension’ and consequent blacklisting.

The company has now filed a counter-protest claiming that the two were not GO employees, which meant that there was no juridical or contractual link with their former employer.

Indeed, the two had resigned from their jobs and had received a golden handshake, the company pointed out, claiming further that it was not aware and could not confirm that the men had a disability.

Denying that it had ordered the suspension or dismissal of the protesting parties, the company clarified that it had simply informed KVH Computers that the two would no longer be allowed to carry out work for GO.

Although acknowledging that the choice of words might have been ‘unfortunate’, the company insisted that it had no control over the two workers’ job.

Moreover, the stand taken by GO was justified on account of issues arising out of the employees’ behaviour and reference to both national and international institutions had been intended to lend a sensational touch to their case.

The counter-protest was signed by lawyer Andrew Borg Cardona on behalf of GO.