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General Workers Union supporting Gozo Channel industrial action
GWU support Union Haddiema Maghqudin directives for Gozo Channel employees.
The General Workers Union maritime and aviation sector said it is supporting the industrial action taken by the UHM against Gozo Channel management, and has informed union employees to join the action, which deals with salary arrears.
The GWU has appealed for an amicable solution to be reached between both sides.
The Gozo Tourism Association and the Gozo Business Chamber have both issued statements expressing worry over the threat by Union Haddiema Maghqudin of industrial action at Gozo Channel during the very important Carnival weekend.
The Gozitan tourism sector looks forward in earnest for the Carnival weekend, as it is a busy period after the long lull of the winter months. The carnival period is one of the highlight events in winter for the Gozitan businesses and a disruption in the service will leave huge financial consequences in the Gozitan economy, especially in the current difficult times that Malta and Gozo are facing.
The UHM resgitered its dispute with Gozo Channel to start industrial actions with effect from Thursday, February 16, ahead of the carnival events. This is due to a disagreement on the collective agreement financial package of these workers. The agreement expired end of 2008 and despite numerous representations made by the Port and Transport Section, to date the Gozo Channel Management have not yet revised the financial proposals put forward.
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Il-GWU bilfors taqbel mall-UHM fil-Gozo Channel ghax il-haddiema huma politikament maqsumin u l-ebda Union mhu ser titlob ir-‘recognition’ ghax ma jaqbillomx u ghalhekk din l-allejanza. Biss manuvrar bhal dan fil-passat kien ikun fi zmien il-Gimgha l-Kbira jew meta tkun gejja xi Elezzjoni biex isservi ta’ pressjoni fuq il-Management biex jiccaqlaq. Fil-fatt l-ahhar ftehim kollettiv kien sar fis-sena 2008 granet qabel l-elezzjoni u meta kienu dahlu xi 40 haddiem gdid u bil-haddiem jiehdu zidiet fenominali. Nahseb li l-haddiema qed ikunu hafna zlejali lejn il-poplu li jrid jaqsam bejn il-gzejjer f’dan iz-zmien tal-Karnival u l-Kumpanija jmissa tohrog stqarrija biex turi li s-salarji, overtime u allowances tal-haddiema jammontaw fis-sena ghal ammonti sostanzjali li jersqu hafna vicin lejn is-salarji li ghandom haddiema fi gradi gholjin fic-civil. U f’dan il-perjodu li l-pajjiz qieghed ghaddej minnu l-Unions ghandom jirrealizzaw li dawn it-talbiet ma jaghmlu l-ebda gid lill-pajjiz u jirtirawom ghax jekk iz-zidiet huma tajbin ghal Gozo Channel irid ikunu tajbin ukoll ghal kumpaniji ohra fil-parastatali. Din nahseb li kienet manuvra mahsuba wahda sew biex ikun hemm pressjoni fuq il-Gvern dwar hafna ftehim kollettivi li hemm pendenti. Zgur li din hi sempliciment biex jien inhokklok darek u wara thokkli tieghi. Nisperaw li din il-Kumpanija ma tkunx xi Malta Drydocks ohra.
