The General Workers' Union said today it shall be embarking on a campaign to show the people and Europe what was the real situation in Malta.

In a resolution approved by its national council in the wake of a government decision not to award compensation for fuel price hikes, the union said that the government was trying to gain time and hide the truth. It was hiding behind reports which did not lead anywhere.

In the meantime, the burden on families and pensioners was increasing with time.

The government had also raised the cost of several essential services, without which the people could not survive.

The GWU said it was clear that dark clouds were looming and the future did not augur well.

Most of the new jobs being created were part time or precarious and they were being taken up by workers who could not find anything better.

These factors led to an unsustainable situation and the time had come for the Maltese to show they were fed up.

The government was appearing to be insensitive and cruel and it was not listening to the people's cry, the union said.