Opposition’s judicial protest yet another attack on GWU, union claims

The Nationalist Party’s was not really seeking justice in its attempt to stop the General Workers’ Union from renting out part of its headquarters to third parties was a direct, but was in fact using the issue to attack it, the union claimed on Tuesday.

The Nationalist Party has filed a judicial protest in an attempt to stop the GWU from renting out part of its headquarters to third parties in what it alleged was a breach of a public contract.

A National Audit report in 2015 found that the GWU had breached the conditions of its government lease when it rented out part of the Workers' Memorial Building in Valletta to state-owned utilities company ARMS and the Sciacca Grill steakhouse.

In a statement, the GWU said it was prepared to prove that its decision to rent out part of its headquarters to third parties was based on sound legal advice.

The PN’s action was further proof of the opposition’s political arrogance, since it was claiming to want to see justice served, when it had already expressed itself as as prosecutor, judge and jury, the union said.

“Jason Azzopardi, the opposition’s spokesman for justice, cannot be credible when speaking about justice, since – if his behaviour is anything to go by – justice is selective,” the union said.

“No action by Azzopardi or the opposition party could detract attention from the type of justice Azzopardi obtained in the matter of the sale of Lowenbrau brewery in Qormi.”

The GWU said the Nationalist opposition was not really seeking justice, but was in fact using the issue as an excuse to attack the union.

The judicial protest – signed by every PN MP – gives the Lands Commissioner and the Attorney General a 15-day ultimatum to evict ARMS and Sciacca Grill from the GWU's premises. Failing that, the PN will formally charge the GWU in court with breaching the conditions of its public contract.