The government deadline for unions to file their counter proposals is today at noon. In a last rush to finalise their proposals, the unions yesterday held a marathon meeting which lasted over five hours.

All four unions – the General Workers’ Union and the separate unions representing the pilots, cabin crew and engineers – all turned down the government memorandum.

Speaking to The Malta Independent, a spokesman for the IT and Investments Ministry said the government’s proposals were aimed at making the company viable and profitable, while ensuring that all jobs are safeguarded.

While other airlines are simply cutting jobs, working conditions and basic pays, the government is trying to make the company feasible without excessively burdening its workers, he said.

The spokesman continued that the government gave the unions until noon today to meet the management to discuss the government proposals. However only one union took up this offer and held a meeting with Air Malta management last Monday.

A separate source confirmed with this newspaper that the union which had this meeting was that representing the pilots.

It is not known whether the union will file their counter proposals as one set or whether they will do so individually.

Asked what the management is expected to do after receiving the counter proposals, the government spokesman said the management will then present its suggestions to the government as the company’s major shareholder.

And asked whether the management or government will request a meeting with the unions to discuss the counter proposals, the spokesman said that decisions will be taken on the basis of the counter proposals received.

Over the past few weeks, both government and management have committed themselves to try and avoid redundancies. Among the cost-cutting measures the airline is proposing on the administrative side are a cutback in directors’ remuneration, the removal of the duty-free allowance and a reduction in allowances for senior management. It is estimated that these measures will save the airline around Lm3.75 million each year over the next three years.