UHM calls for urgent social partners’ meeting over Ministry’s ‘mobile request’

The Union Haddiema Maghqudin have called for an urgent meeting amongst the social partners of the Malta Council for Economic and Social Development after the Ministry for Home Affairs disallowed the workers’ union’s chief taking his mobile phone to a meeting with Home Affairs Minister Carmelo Abela.

UHM secretary general Josef Vella had consequently refused to surrender his mobile phone, resulting in the cancellation of the meeting.

“We want to discuss this government policy as quickly as possible,” the UHM said in a statement.  “We consider it to be an unacceptable situation and a display of disrespect and lack of faith towards the social partners.”

The UHM have already received support from the Chamber of Commerce, who have condemned the Ministry’s request for Vella’s phone as “a sign of disrespect towards social partners and their representatives”.