GWU denies ministry charges over Tug Malta future

The General Workers' Union yesterday denied 1claims it was trying to scupper the privatisation of Tug Malta.

The union, which was reacting to accusations by the Investments Ministry, said that if the government wanted to close down Tug Malta, it should not use the GWU for its own ends.

In a statement on Wednesday, the GWU had said it was not ruling out industrial action at the government-owned company, if Tug Malta failed to reply to its proposals for a new collective agreement.

The union said yesterday the ministry's reaction to its statement was disproportionate and senseless. It was disproportionate because the ministry had already embarked on a campaign of threats against the workers and the GWU, and senseless because the union did not, in any way, want to hinder the company's privatisation.

The GWU added that it was in its own interest to ensure that workers' rights were safeguarded. It had acted in line with clause three of the collective agreement and had sent the company its proposals for a new agreement.