Two-day ultimatum for Arriva to get back to negotiating table

The General Workers' Union has warned public transport operator Arriva that it has 48 hours to get back into negotiations with the union, and failure to do so would result in industrial action.

In a statement, the GWU said that the union was seeking to improve the drivers' financial package: "If Arriva fails to get back to us with a satisfactory reply, the GWU will be registering an industrial dispute to take all the necessary measures to defend the Arriva workers."

The union added that it had the support of the Arriva employees who were present at the meeting. The GWU will also be informing the Arriva workers in Gozo over its position in a separate meeting.

The GWU's ultimatum follows a threat by a number of disgruntled public transport drivers whom MaltaToday is informed 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 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".