Option to WSC staff 'not honoured'

The General Workers' Union said there were various factors that led to the present manning levels at Water Services Corporation.

It was reacting to comments in parliament by Public Investments Minister Austin Gatt who said the corporation has surplus staff.

The GWU said the government had in the past claimed there were 300 surplus workers when it was negotiating the collective agreement. However, the union had complained that work was being given to private contractors and, on the insistence of the GWU, some of this work reverted to WSC employees.

Another point it made was that a number of workers had already expressed their desire to revert to the public service but so far they had not been re-absorbed.

At the time that the corporation was formed, Water Works Department employees were "supposed" to be given three months in which to decide whether to go to the new corporation or return to the public service. However, this choice was never honoured, the union said.

The situation was made worse when the Drainage Department fell under the responsibility of the corporation, adding 600 employees to its payroll, the union said.