Labour accused of inciting Air Malta workers

The Government Investments Ministry yesterday criticised the Labour Party for its statement on Air Malta, which had attacked press reports on potential strikes and the government for its approach to the airline's problems.

Labour's statement, the ministry said, was a symptom of the party's frustration with the fact that the unions were taking part in negotiations to reach an agreement that would enable the company to survive.

The MLP, for purely partisan reasons, preferred to see division where there was unity and confrontation where there was dialogue, the ministry said.

Rather than keeping Air Malta sustainable in the coming years, the MLP wanted to incite workers not to accept the efforts being made by unions, the government and the company.

The ministry referred to the party's criticism of media reports that some workers were, independently of their unions, trying to encourage their colleagues to take part in unauthorised legal action.

The ministry confirmed it had information that attempts were being made by some workers to encourage their colleagues to join them in unauthorised industrial action. It said it had passed on this information to the management and the unions.