Industrial action on Gozo Channel: UĦM issues directives

UĦM – Voice of the Workers has ordered industrial action on the Gozo Channel in retaliation over delays to a new collective agreement for workers.

The union cited exaggerated delays in negotiations for a new collective agreement, as the last agreement expired two-and-a-half years ago.

In a statement announcing the industrial action, UĦM called into question whether the company intends on concluding negotiations.

The directives include

• No responding of radio/VHFs, telephones/mobiles, and no inputting of data such as trip counts
• Tickets must be scanned when cars are near the ship ramp, not when they enter the marshlling area.
• No operating of the side ramp, meaning passengers must enter from the garage.
• Embarking must start only seven minutes after the last vehicle from the previous trip has left the ship. Pedestrian passengers must embark first.

The directives came into effect on Wednesday 21 June at 1pm. UĦM said it reserves the right to escalate the action if the situation is not resolved immediately.