Bus drivers are determined to strike as early as tomorrow if the public transport operator persists with a plan that would affect their break.

The General Workers’ Union on Tuesday warned Malta Public Transport had 48 hours to either accept its demands or face industrial action. The Union Ħaddiema Magħqudin has pledged its support should its rival union order a strike.

Drivers’ representatives will be meeting at the GWU’s headquarters in Valletta this afternoon to decide on what course of action to take if the impasse is not broken.

Both sides have been at loggerheads for a number of weeks over new work rosters, part of the route network revamp set to be rolled out by the end of the year. The dispute has already led to the postponement of the first of four phases of changes, which was supposed to come into force on September 13.

Two weeks ago, both sides were “very close” to an agreement but the deal collapsed over the interpretation of a clause regarding a 30-minute break for bus drivers during eight-hour shifts.

“Rather than having a continuous half-hour break at one go, or at least two 15-minute periods, the company submitted new rosters with five-minute breaks spread out during the drivers’ shifts,” the GWU designate general secretary, Josef Bugeja, said yesterday.

“To add insult to injury, the company expects that, in case of traffic delays, employees would have to forfeit their break to make up for lost time,” he added.

Asked whether there had been any developments, Mr Bugeja said the ball was in the bus company’s court. “At present, we are waiting for Malta Public Transport to come back to us with a solution following our final proposal tabled on Tuesday evening,” he added.

Apart from this issue, the GWU has another dispute over the collective agreement.

Questions to Malta Public Transport were not answered by the time of writing.