President’s son aiding Arriva drivers who wish to break away from GWU

The President's son, Robert Abela - a lawyer and a probable Labour Party candidate on the sixth electoral district  -  is involved in talks with public transport employees over the setting up of a house union representing the sole interests of Arriva bus drivers.

It is believed Robert Abela will be contesting the forthcoming general election on the sixth district which includes the President's hometown Qormi. President George Abela is known for his close ties with the Qormi-based Fenech family, owners of Tumas Group and shareholders in Arriva Malta.

Contacted by MaltaToday, Robert Abela said: "I cannot comment at this stage... I cannot breach the confidentiality of clients who visit me in my offices".

While the General Workers Union is currently holding talks with Arriva over a new collective agreement covering all employees at the company, the public transport drivers are in talks to form a house union as they do not agree with the financial requests put forward by the union.

Speaking to MaltaToday, Charles Agius, the GWU's transport section secretary confirmed that this week Arriva bus drivers held a number of meetings at the GWU headquarters in Valletta as the union is attempting to thwart the drivers from breaking away and setting up a house union.

He expressed the union's opposition to any such split and described it as the "worst case possible" as it would split the employees and weaken the union's position in dealing with the company.

Agius said the union is currently negotiating a four-year collective agreement for all Arriva employees. He explained that the major stumbling block, as in most other collective agreement talks, is the financial package.

The union's transport secretary said the bus drivers earn "slightly more than the minimum wage" and although the union is pushing for a 45% basic wage increase over four years, he said the drivers have "higher expectations".

While the company and the union's positions are not very far apart, Agius said Arriva will never accept requests which go beyond the proposals presented by the union. He said the company's financial position restricts the company from even considering any financial requests above the ones proposed by the union.

Agius added that the final decision on any collective agreement reached by the union and the company will be taken by all employees, including the drivers in a secret vote. He noted that the driver's position is not flexible and called on all Arriva employees to stand united as he believes that "we can obtain the best possible deal in the current circumstances".

Such a move would deal a heavy blow to the union as it would mean losing over 500 members. Observers have interpreted the choice of Robert Abela as 'Machiavellian'.

George Abela had worked for the  union as its legal consultant for over 25 years however fell out with the GWU after the administration urged him to sign a declaration to abide by its directives on a number of issues, including the union's anti-EU membership stance.

After disagreeing with the Labour Party executive's decision to call an early election in 1998, George Abela fell out of favour with the General Workers' Union's administration and officially severed all ties with the organisa    tion in 2000.

In 2006, prior to becoming President, George Abela was involved in a public row with the GWU for being the legal consultant of the Malta Dockers' Union, a break-away union representing port workers, previously represented by the GWU. In 2009, Abela was awarded €2,000 in damages after a court found he had been libelled by a press release issued by the General Workers' Union in August 2006.

After leaving the GWU, the former PL deputy leader George Abela was awarded a direct order for MEPA's legal services in spite of the fact that MEPA had its own legal officers.

After being appointed President, his son Robert and his wife Lydia Abela who is executive secretary of the Labour Party continued with work at MEPA through Abela, Stafrace & Associates.