The government has lifted restrictions on the use of the General Workers' Union premises in Valletta for commercial purposes.

The restrictions were imposed when the government-owned land was leased to the union in 1957 for the building of the Workers' Memorial Building at the corner of South Street with Bakery Street. The property was to be used solely for trade union activities. 

In 2014, the union sublet two shopfronts to a restaurant and energy billing company ARMS, in the belief that the sublet was outside the purview of the deed’s conditions. But the PN took it to court, insisting the site was government-owned, and no sub-lease could be made other than to entities in which the union had a majority stake. 

In May last year, the court declared that the GWU had breached its contractual obligations.

The government promptly changed the lease conditions, pushing a resolution through parliament for the purpose. It lifted the restriction on commercial use, subject to a payment of €2m. The Opposition voted against.

Prime Minister attended the formal signing of the new deed conditions late on Monday, saying this would safeguard the voice of the workers and the future sustainability of the union.  

The country, he said, was grateful to the GWU for speaking up for the workers, and it was continuing to support it with this deed, which was also fair for the government. 

 GWU general secretary Josef Bugeja hailed the ceremony as a milestone in the union's history which would assure it of a sustainable future.