The General Workers’ Union has kept silent over news revealed by this newspaper that its president, Victor Carachi, is on the government’s payroll as one of its consultants.

Questions by the Times of Malta on whether the union’s administration has been made aware that its president is giving consultancy services to the government while acting as chief of the largest trade union were so far ignored.

Both GWU Secretary General Josef Bugeja and Mr Carachi have so far failed to reply.

Last week, Times of Malta reported that Mr Carachi has been put on the government payroll and is receiving €12,500 a year as consultant to MIMCOL, the state agency responsible for government investments.

It has benefitted immensely from government coffers

MIMCOL currently falls under the political remit of Economy Minister Chris Cardona and the nature of Mr Carachi’s role is not yet known.

Considered as a moderate voice in the union, Mr Carachi has been employed as GWU president since 2008. Until then he was an employee of HSBC.

In his role as GWU president, Mr Carachi is also on the board of directors of some 11 private companies owned by the GWU, including of its various commercial arms which span from the Mellieħa Bay Holiday Complex to an insurance agency.

Sources close to the GWU told Times of Malta that many inside the union did not know about Mr Carachi’s double role as their president and consultant to the government.

“However, this comes as no surprise as since Labour was returned to power in 2013, the union has benefitted immensely from government coffers,” the sources said.

Currently, the GWU is receiving hundreds of thousands from government coffers for various commercial activities.

Parts of its headquarters at the Workers’ Memorial Building in Valletta have been rented out to ARMS – the State-owned water and energy billing operator – while another building it owns in Marsa has been leased to Transport Malta for nearly half a million euros a year.

In 2016, the GWU was also selected by Jobs Plus, the State employment agency, to manage the Community Work Scheme on its behalf. 

Through it, a newly formed GWU foundation receives millions of euros a year to employ and manage some 650 unemployed who had been registering for work.

The GWU’s Secretary General, Josef Bugeja sits on the board of directors of Jobs Plus.

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