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Air Malta to meet unions over redundancy schemes
Union registers industrial dispute with Air Malta over lack of guarantees on future employment of airline workers.
4 July 2011, 12:00am
Matthew Vella
Matthew Vella
3 min read
The General Workers Union has registered an industrial dispute with Air Malta after no declaration was forthcoming from the government as to whether the airline’s redundant employees would be absorbed in the public sector.
“The GWU is insisting that these workers are assured their employment,” the union said. “We’re at this stage because there is no road left except to register an industrial dispute and protect our members’ interests.”
Air Malta senior management will commence negotiations with all four unions tomorrow morning on voluntary redundancy schemes and working practices and other matters needed to help make the airline profitable.
“Air Malta stated it had already agreed with the GWU to meet this week, so its declaration of a dispute with Air Malta before negotiations are carried out is out of order,” the airline said.
Air Malta added that it cannot guarantee jobs since as a commercial concern. “Air Malta will be registering its disagreement with the GWU through a judicial protest to be filed in court tomorrow morning. We reserve the right to take further legal action to protect its interests. The threat of industrial action is already damaging the airline and we ask all parties to act responsibly at this difficult time.”
In its reaction the finance ministry said the GWU was aware that the 800 jobs to be kept in Air Malta were dependent on the approval by the European Commission of the restructuring plan.
“Any demand for guarantees of a job go against this very interest. The GWU’s calls are irresponsible and dangerous for the company and its workers,” the ministry said.
The ministry said that any transfers to the public sector would be deemed state aid and prejudice the restructuring of the airline. “We have loaned Air Malta €52 million to move on during the coming months as long as the necessary reforms take place. The threat of industrial action is pushing away Maltese and tourists who want to use the airline this summer… something that can lead the company into bankruptcy and the loss of all 1,300 jobs.”
The finance ministry has stated it intends to offer a number of solutions as to how each decision on Air Malta employees can be taken "with the least social impact possible".
Reacting to an ultimatum by the General Workers Union to declare whether it will absorb redundant Air Malta employees in the public sector, the ministry last week said its solutions would be "within the context of the restructuring plan" which is yet to be approved by the European Commission.
The General Workers Union had demanded that by 30 June, government states that all Air Malta employees who wish to remain in employment, are absorbed within the public sector.
Secretary-General Tony Zarb said the GWU would be registering an industrial dispute if the declaration was not forthcoming. “We don’t want to reach the stage of an industrial action, but we’re ready to do what it takes to protect Air Malta employees."
He did not specify whether the industrial dispute, or any subsequent action, would be announced the moment the deadline strikes, insisting that the union was not discounting any course of action. Zarb said that over 500 employees attending a GWU meeting yesterday voted unanimously for this course of action.
Some 600 workers have to be removed from Air Malta’s payroll if it is to survive under European Commission rules governing a €50 million government loan to the loss-making airline. Zarb said the way this figure was determined is "arbitrary".
Matthew Vella, a freelance journalist at MaltaToday, was formerly executive editor at Malt...
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wow Albert coolbreeze Einstein i would stop sniffing that stuff. It has clearly got to your oversized brain. Apart from all the insults there is no substance in anything you write. Kindly enlighten me what you stand for and what you are trying to prove. That you do not care about people loosing their job? That you are an expert in aviation or industrial law? I guess the frustration of trying to defend your beloved Gonzi is getting to you so much that now all you can do is insult people. Little by little the truth about the PN is coming out. First the divorce issue and now the elitist attitude and hatred towards workers. Although i am sure you do not agree, workers do have rights as much as they have obligations. Those rights are not verbal promises but rights given by collective agreements and also by law. But i guess you miss the good old days when you and your ilk could trample over everyone especially the working class.
Joseph MELI •
Sorry Smogger but forgot to ask you -in your capacity as the font of all knowledge-where it is enshrined in any company's contract /employment conditions that a job(any job) is guaranteed and,more crucially,where is this claim enshrined in legislation?If you wish to be perceived as gullible or disingenuous and choose to believe verbal promises or pledges from any government ,or MP's seeking election,then you deserve all you get as we live in different times now and are accountable to a higher authority.Also,as you are undoubtedly aware , a verbal contract is not worth the paper it is written on!The GWU is on extremely thin ice here and not too clever( a principle you will be familiar with)in issuing its submissions for an industrial dispute based on unsustainable or unlawful grounds and are heading for an almighty fall.
Joseph MELI •
My my what a command of the English language you possess Mr Smith and before you put digits on keyboards in future you might take a moment to stop and pick up your dummy which you obviously threw out of your pram in a puerile temper tantrum. Your erudite contribution (especially the apt reference to making love whilst flying)might be well be filed under the section entitled BOVINE EXCRETIA(you might want to look that up!)Perhaps you can entlighten us all as to why then the GWU are involved in this case and also provide an explanation as to why they have not done their homework as to what actually constitutes an industrial dispute and whether or not they have either actually declared one yet, are about too,or else whether or not they are legally entitled to do so?So BOM(BRAIN OF MALTA) please do so when you get out of summer school class and after passing your entrance exam for Mensa membership-which is obviously a foregone conclusion (although,piece of advice, I would bypass English as a chosen subject)!
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@cool breeze just because you put together a bigger load of crap than your first contribution does not mean that you are any better off . Not only is it crap but you might want to read my post again. The GWU does not represent Pilots, Cabin crew, or engineers. GET IT EINSTEIN ???? I did not state that the GWU did not represent any workers. Clear now or do i have to say it again? Also Albert it is ALPA that threatened to strike whilst the GWU registered an industrial dispute.Ther is an actual difference you know? Look it up and if you want to say you were wrong on both counts the blog will be open all night. Ps i addressed my previous contribution to both you and briffi so please do not take credit for all crap leave some for Briiffi People are hurting and people like you are so self righteous that you do not give a flying Fuck. amazing tmurx titqarben il hadd?
Joseph MELI •
DEAR SMITHY,
Lighten up on the accusations genius and take a chill pill will ya and whilst we all bow to your superior knowledge and finger on the pulse take on matters -are you sure you are being pragmatic and realistic ?For one ,how do you know that its only 511 employees -maybe its more ,maybe its less but with your obvious EU Commission insider -knowledge you will definitely know the true numbers and whether or not they have approved this restructuring plan?.However,it would appear that you and a great many others are so gullible and disingenuous to fully believe and trust what any government ,or any MP seek election for that matter,tells you then the charge of stupid could have a new champion.Also the good old days of jobs for life ,and only the Queen of England can lay claim to that nowadays,or a transfer to another parastatal -linked job when the government entity they are engaged by goes belly-up or whatever and you ask -what's wrong with that?Well nothing really if you are insane or live in a time-warp!Time for a reality check buddy and change address from the parallel universe you obviously inhabit back to planet Gonzi.Yes of course the goverment -appointee marionettes on the successive boards ,incompetently and with great ineptitiude crash-landed Air Malta -and are still doing so to this day.By the way you make a claim that the GWU doesn't represent any staff at Air Malta-sure about that oh great enlightened one?(Think you managed to get it right though regarding the other non-GWU members like the restructerers and the new CEO !).Why is it that assumption rules here in Malta and almost everyone thinks they know much more than they do about people's motives ,political persuasion or current situations. Someone like you for example.I simply make irreverent and frivolous comment to highlight the absurdity of the situation and not for any political brownie points and of course feel for all concerned -but your proposed solution is not touched by realism just as Arriva is misguided in bringing bus drivers over from the UK to solve this temporary shortfall-hence my ridiculous suggestion which should have been evident to anyone.The question is what action will Air Malta management take if and when strike action is called for by the GWU-but wait!As according to the Smith doctrine no one at Air Malta are members so no problem their then hey?I wish all without jobs or, possibly worse ,unsure if they will still have one in the near future all the best of good luck -as they will need every ounce of it.
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Nuju you forgot that the new CEO who is being paid €500,000 every year for three years apart from all the other perks has employed three of his friends with God only knows what salaries and perks because they are afraid to tell us their salaries because their face will turn deep purple.
We are paying their salaries so we have a right to know how much they are being paid.
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@ Briffy...surname starting with a 'B'...so does the Beezer and the Beano...quite good funny comics. I prefer to keep 50 workers @ 10,000 Euros each rather than 1 person @ 500,000 such as the CEO. And, I will challenge you about the figures that they are wrong, meaning that the 10,000 is less...meaning more workers to keep. I don't mean to insult you...but I am saying the truth.
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Briffy,
I have already told you that you are the joker of these blogs..the only competition you have is Antoine Vella, but for some reason he is keeping a low profilenow.
The pilots union threatens a strike and no one from the government comments. The GWU has registered an industrial despute - just that - and the Gonzipn and his parrots come out in force against them. Wonder why.
Secondly, it was your dear Gonzi and St Tonio Fenech who promised alternative jobs to redundant staff at Airmalta. Somehow, I have the feeling that that is not worrying them too much.
Thirdly, Airmalta must be the only company in history which was deliberately and unashamedly dismantled by its own employers. What have the employees got to do with that , so why should they suffer ?
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Very funny Briffi, 1) I am sure someone hired you just to splatter the salaries of the professional personnell at the Airline for obvious reasons.
2)Also your confusion of GWU representation to demonise these sections is too obvious. There are 3 other fully Independent Unions representing Pilots, Engineering and Cabin Crew.
4) The government through Minister Fenech appearantly promised redeployement in Government Departments to GWU not to the other Unions so the GWU dispute with Air Malta and the Government as Share Holder is not out of order.
5) The workers have had enough of empty talk of restructuring. Has anyone revised the charges for cargo or challenged MIA strongly on it's charges which are crippling the Airline? NO. So the plan is only to attack workers, demolarise them and help il-Klikka continue to milk the Airline dry through free cargo transport and Airport charges and Aircraft Rents commission etc,
6) Be careful who hired you to write cause we will continue to splatter the facts and soon the names of tal-Klikka.
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Hello Briffy and Cool breeze. If you were to know how stupid your posts are both from a a technical, factual or even logical point of view you would not have posted. Bring in Pilots from abroad ???? Are you serious? Do you think that you can do that over night and at what cost??? It was the governnemnt that stated that alternative jobs would be given...... hmmmm anzi that no jobs were to be lost as the PN would guarantee success before the election when actually he was looking at the 9 consecutive year of losses in 2008. The GWU does not represent Pilots, Cabin crew, or engineers. On the other hand what is wrong with giving a job in the public sector to any worker that looses his job due to political mismanagement of a company? The Ernst and Young report and the new CEO ( both i believe are not members of the GWU) spelt it out in plain language that the company was brought to its knees due to the mismangement of the Blue eyed boys. so wake up and stop your attack when 511 maltese families are looking at loosing their job. Before you accepted to help Gonzi with such posts you should have really done your homework better. And to all the 1300 Air Malta employees kindly take note of what the PN thinks of you as mirrored by these two fine gentlmen.
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Sewwa taghmel il GWU li tordna azzjoni industrijali. Il haddiema ghandhom dritt ghal xoghol alternattiv ghax wara kollox din kumpanija li falliet tord id decizjonijiet hziena li hadu gvernijiet nazzjonalisti immexxijin minn Fenech Adami u Gonzi. Wara kollox il ministru Fenech kien wieghed xoghol alternattiv, issa qieghed jaghmel U Turn u jinheba wara l europa. Din l europa li dhahhalna fija Fenech Adami. Mhux ta b xejn li Fenech Adami wara li dhlna fl europa abdika mil responsabilita u ghamel lilu innifsu president
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It seems that the GWU are still in the habit of making ludicrous statements; it appears that anything goes as long as they make some noises. In the first place GWU should know that what they are suggesting runs counter to EU rules. Secondly, let's assume for the sake of argument that some of these people were to be eventually absorbed in the public sector. Would say a pilot earning Eur70 000/100 000 expect to be paid anywhere near that amount if he/she joins the public sector? I can't see this happening. The same goes for cabin crew; what these expect to be paid Eur20 000/25 000,: or engineers? Probably GWU are thinking in terms of ground handling crew. I am not aware of the latters' wages, but I would imagine they do get Eur15 000 on average. I would imagine that their 'equivalent' pay in the public sector would be more in the region of Eur10 000. And what would a pilot be doing in the public sector? His/her job is to drive planes, something that is not catered for in the civil service. The same goes for engineers and cabin crew. The only people who could possibly be absorbed in the public sector - if EU rules allow it - would be ground handling crew and people doing clerical jobs
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Unfortunately for you Mr Cool Breeze, any 9H registered aircraft has to be flown by Maltese Licensed Pilots. And to get a Maltese Licence you will need training irrelevant of what other licence you hold, so it's a NO CAN DO!!!
Joseph MELI •
Anyway Arriva top brass have clearly provided Air Malta management with the way to deal with disputes involving drivers as all they have to do is import plane drivers(aka pilots) to deal with the forthcoming planned strike to allow them to fly their aircraft.Both drivers share the same union representation(GWU) so no problems there then!Happy Days.
