Union wants UK minister to investigate British High Commission in Malta

The General Workers Union has appealed to the British minister for Europe, David Lidington, to investigate the British High Commission in Malta over a series of complaints the union has lodged against the embassy with the industrial tribunal.

The GWU has been running a long campaign over embassy employees' rights after the British High Commission was found in default by the Industrial Tribunal in three cases and by the Court of Appeal in one case.

The GWU has taken to task Lidington over information he provided to the UK House of Representatives, in a reply to parliamentary question. According to Lidington, the British High Commission's decisions in its long-standing feud with the GWU was "always confirmed by the [industrial] tribunal as being justified and correct" and that the High Commission was never found guilty of breaching employment rules.

The High Commission has been directed to pay compensation in some cases, which it has appealed.

The GWU claims the High Commission planned to revoke the union's recognition just two days after it made redundant the union's two shop stewards and the solely unionised driver, who also enjoyed the most seniority.

"The High Commission systematically planned to prejudice the union's position of representation. The British High Commission has no right to revoke recognition without having conclusive evidence and therefore breached the collective agreement in revoking union recognition," the GWU said.

The British High Commission claims recognition of the GWU was withdrawn because they no longer had the support of a majority of staff, and their demands were unreasonable and unrealistic.

The British High Commission believes that the union should represent all grades of locally engaged employees, not selected grades, but the GWU maintains that any section of workers can have union recognition.

The union also said Lidington's replies in parliament over the redundancies from the High Commission were not up to date, either. According to the GWU, five security officers, a gardener, butler, driver, four employees from the commercial and corporation sections, and four employees in the British pension officer were made redundant. The union also said the High Commission abruptly terminated a definite contract of employment for a consular employee.

The Union's Professionals, Finance and Services Section appealed to Lidington to investigate seriously these allegations and that it was available to provide further information.