Updated | Energy Ministry reiterates 'workers' jobs at Enemalta guaranteed'

Enemalta workers concerned about ongoing uncertainty - PN

In a press conference at the PN headquarters earlier today, shadow minister for education and employment Therese Comodini Cachia said that a large number of Enemalta workers had contacted the nationalist party to express their concern about their job situation.

"Enemalta workers are going through a very difficult time, as both workers and their families are facing uncertainty due to the instability surrounding their current employment," she said.

Comodini Cachia said that many workers do not know what their working conditions would be in the coming weeks and months.

"One of the main concerns lies in the fact that there are a number of workers who were approached by Shop Stewards from the General Workers' Union (GWU) and were shown a list of jobs within other governmental departments."

Comodini Cachia said that this list was not made public but was being kept by the GWU representative who was contacting people unsystematically.

"This is in no way fair as the list is not being made public to everyone at the same time," she added.

Shadow minister for the environment , energy and transport Marthese Portelli was also present for the press conference and said that these events are a contradiction to the promises made by Joseph Muscat prior to the 2013 general elections.

"Joseph Muscat had promised Enemalta workers that their job would not be jeopardized  and that their take-home pay would not be at stake, but this is exactly what has happened," Portelli said.

"Enemalta workers feel betrayed by their Prime Minister."

The PN has said that it would continue to meet with Enemalta workers and it has also pledged to continue speaking on their behalf.

"The Prime Minister should expressly confirm that all Enemalta workers will retain their entire current take home pay."

In a reaction, the Energy Ministry said that Enemalta had attracted the biggest investment to ever reach Malta, with a total investment of €320 million.

“This is the same Enemalta that was left on the brink of bankruptcy with debts amounting to €820 million, leaving Enemalta workers uncertain about their future. Reality is that the real threat to the workers and their families was the previous administration.”

The ministry said the Nationalist government had wanted to sell Enemalta for just a €1, with no intention of investing in the island’s electricity generation. It said, that Enemalta’s investment had received positive reactions from the European Commission and international credit rating agencies.

The Ministry reiterated that the workers’ jobs were “guaranteed” and the conditions and salaries will be respected in line with the collective agreement. It said the new job opportunities will be created and Enemalta workers will have the first preference before external calls are issued.

Nationalist party believes that hedging done at the right time and for the right prices can indeed be beneficial - Marthese Portelli

Asked whether the Libya crisis would affect international oil prices, and whether in this case the hedging agreements in place could act as a buffer from rising international prices, Portelli insisted that the Nationalist party has always been consistent in its attitude towards fuel prices.

“For many months, Malta was amongst those countries in the European Union that had to pay the most for their fuel. Our demand as the opposition was to have clear knowledge of the agreements the government went into regarding fuel,” Portelli said.

Portelli said that with respect to hedging agreements, PN had always been consistent in that they agreed that it could be beneficial if it was done at the right time, and with the right price.

Reports showed that oil rose to nearly $62 a barrel on Monday due to the escalating conflict in Libya.

The country's oil production has mostly shut down, falling to 350,000 barrels per day (bpd) from 1.6 million bpd before the ousting of leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2011.

The El Sarir oil field was still unable to pump oil on Monday after a pipeline was attacked and set on fire when Egypt’s air force bombed Islamic State targets inside Libya on Monday, a day after the group released a video appearing to show the beheading of 21 Egyptians Kuwait's oil minister said oil prices would continue to rise in 2015 as supply levels fell but that he hoped that prices would be better in the second half of 2015.