Updated: Unions in tug of war on port workers' representation

The GWU and the Malta Dockers' Union are engaged in a tug of war for recognition as the port workers' representatives, with both saying they enjoy a majority.

The GWU said this afternoon that it had written to the Maritime Authority asking to be recognised once more as the official representative of licensed port workers.

The union said the number of port workers returning to its ranks was rising consistently and it now had the backing of the majority.

A request for recognition was also made to Malta Freeport Terminals.

The union said recognition should be granted promptly in the same way as another trade union was recognised when it had majority membership.

The port workers two years ago left the GWU to form the Malta Dockers' Union.

The MDU in a statement later this afternoon insisted that it represented the majority of the port workers and was therefore the only union which could negotiate on the workers' behalf.

It said its figures were confirmed by the membership fees paid through the office of the Port Works Scheme as well as its own records.