Unions give up referendum

The idea that trade unions would collect signatures to hold a referendum on the reduction of public holidays has been quietly laid to rest, union sources confirmed yesterday.

Unions within the Confederation of Malta Trade Unions and FORUM, another group of unions, were actively considering a proposal by the General Workers Union to collect signatures to force the government to hold an abrogative referendum on the reduction of public holidays.

The idea had been floated by GWU general secretary Tony Zarb to the CMTU during a meeting on March 3.

Mr Zarb had initially put out feelers about the issue in a GWU national council meeting. But seeing there was not much enthusiasm for the idea, he had moved a different motion to enable the union to seek the advice of the International Labour Organisation and other international fora and that the union would insist with employers that they continue to give these holidays to their workers.

Some within the union had perceived that the move would enable Mr Zarb to embark on a campaign lasting several months building up to the union's general conference in October when union officials have to face re-election.

But in spite of the cold reception given to the idea at the union's council, Mr Zarb brought it up again at the first meeting between the new CMTU council and the GWU. The union also communicated its idea to the FORUM.

Trade union sources said unions had been caught in a very tricky situation about the matter. Some suspected there could have been political motives behind it. Others argued that on one hand, they did not see it as a solution, while on the other failing to take part in it would make them appear weak.

Unions started discussing the issue and came up with the idea to try and reopen the talks on the social pact or to draft a social pact between themselves and present it to government; and if the government failed to accept it, unions would collect signatures for an abrogative referendum.

But because of the way the talks on the social pact had failed with the only dissenting union being the GWU, the unions left the referendum proposal on the back burner.

The flickering flame was blown out by Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi, when he recently stated very bluntly that if unions tried to force the issue, the government would change the law to reduce the number of public holidays. Union sources said this statement "killed the idea".

"Such a measure would have a direct negative effect on people's incomes and no trade union would want to have that. The government's initial measure was not to give an extra day's leave each time a public holiday fell on the weekend. Following pressure by the unions not to do it, we ended up with a measure that was worse for some workers and the lesson has been learnt," union sources said.

Unions were also given another cold shower last week when, despite insisting with employers to retain a clause related to Sundays and public holidays in their collective agreement, workers decided to accept the package negotiated without this clause, rather than wait indefinitely for management and their union to accept it.