UHM concerned with plans to outsource airport attendants’ service

Union Haddiema Maghqudin (UHM) said it is concerned with the position taken by the Malta International Airport (MIA) in regards to outsourcing the airport attendants' service to a private contractor.

"It seems that that MIA's intention is not only that of transferring the service but also the employees to a private contractor," UHM secretary-general Josef Vella said.

The UHM boss added that "there is a family behind each employee and current work conditions must be respected up to retirement age. Its in this spirit that UHM is demanding MIA to open discussions with unions representing the workers before taking any decisions which will effect the workers."

The union added that the workers who might be transferred include former government employees who benefit from treasury pensions.

UHM, together with the General Workers Union (GWU), sent a letter to MIA expressing their reservations and asked for a meeting with the MIA management to trash out these differences.

"UHM warned the company that it will reserve its right to take further action to safeguard its member's interests," Vella said.

He added that in a subsequent meeting with MIA, on 28 November, the two unions were informed that the company will commission an exercise by the beginning of 2013. The unions were also told by MIA that if the exercise proves profitable, it would have no other option but to transfer the service and the workers to a private contractor.

UHM and GWU are expected to be informed of the outcome of the exercise by the first week of January and if the result is positive the workers will be transferred between March and April.

UHM urged MIA to treat the workers and their representatives respectfully and said that workers should not be treated and moved around as if they were trolleys.

This week MIA announced that it achieved a record in tourist arrivals for the eighth consecutive month.