Trouble brewing at Maltapost

The Union Haddiema Maghqudin has threatened to stop the distribution of voting documents after a breakdown in talks over Maltapost workers' collective agreement.

The UHM yesterday informed the Director of Industrial Relations it was registering an industrial dispute over the collective agreement, which expired two years ago.

The Maltapost management was not budging from its "unacceptable" proposals, which the UHM said would only lead to deterioration in workers' conditions.

Among these, the management was threatening workers with dismissal for failing to wear a uniform and reporting late for work, UHM section secretary Jesmond Bonello told The Times.

He accused the management of dragging its feet over the collective agreement and of poorly treating its workers, who, he claimed, were also being subjected to additional pressure.

"The employees have already assumed a lot of new duties because of downsizing, and the management simply cannot keep lowering their moral," Mr Bonello said.

In light of the situation, the union has alerted the workers to be on standby for industrial action unless the management withdraws its "absurd" proposals.

Postmen are meant to start delivering the voting documents for the March 10 local elections from January 30, one of the new duties recently assumed, Mr Bonello said.

Efforts to contact Maltapost management for a reaction proved futile.