Updated | GWU calls for establishment of Enemalta independent inquiry board

During a press conference on Thursday, GWU General Secretary Tony Zarb tabled a document listing a myriad of concerns at claims of discrimination and unfair treatment, ranging from unfair employee treatment, to attempts by Enemalta management to bribe GWU into being complicit to the victimisation.

During the press conference, Zarb tabled an affidavit, signed by Enemalta supervisor Charles Magro, in which he alleges that he was offered €23,000 by Enemalta Management to approve the transfer of an employee from Hal Safi to a department in Qawra. The sum was offered to Magro directly by Chief Human Resources manager Tony Bonello, the affidavit says.

While industrial action directives would remain in place, the union was giving Enemalta two days within which to accept the proposal to establish the union, delivering the ultimatum that “everything has its limits.”

Zarb said that the board of inquiry should be appointed with the agreement of both the GWU and Enemalta, governed by terms of reference that would also be subject to common agreement.

He said that any inquiry would have to be completed within 15 days of the board’s establishment.

Zarb also tabled affidavits alleging that Chief Financial Officer Antoine Galea admitted openly to knowing of steps being taken within Enemalta that discriminate specifically against GWU members who obey union directives.

Zarb also accused Bonello of nepotism, saying he had promoted his cousin working within Enemalta from scale 10 to scale 5, and enabling him to report in for work only three days out of every week despite being paid for the full week’s work.

GWU secretary of the chemical and energy division Jason Deguara also said that employees within the credit control department were intentionally being left without work for the past year, to the effect that €55 million in payments due were not collected over that time.

He said that some of this work was not only being given to other workers, but these workers were being paid overtime to do it.

He also said that Enemalta had broken the collective agreement in attempting to change certain job descriptions without agreement with the GWU.

He said that some of these job description changes were completely unacceptable, citing one example where Enemalta employees where being changed to ‘Team Leaders’ within the Fire Brigade department.

Zarb also called on the Malta Chamber of Commerce to apply pressure on Enemalta so that the situation is resolved quickly and without further problems, adding that the GWU had been sensitive and conservative in its directives so far.

Enemalta on its part, has accused GWU of perverting the meaning of “discrimination”, saying that credit control workers were kept in employment instead of being made redundant. “Redeployment at Enemalta was accepted by the GWU in the past, and the same practices are being used.”

Enemalta categorically denied the allegations of ‘discriminatory’ treatment, saying that credit control had been wound down, after Enemalta and the WSC formed the ARMS billing company. Former credit control officers were therefore offered new employment within their same salary scale.

“The GWU wants employees to work on 12-hour shifts, weekends and public feasts so that they can claim extra charges from companies when they are shut down.

“In the meantime, over 1,000 applications for Enemalta services have been delayed due to the industrial actions. The corporation will take the necessary steps to reduce the inconvenience.”

The corporation denied allegations of bribery by Anthony Bonello and Antoine Galea and said it would take all necessary steps to defend their integrity.