It is very unusual for me to waste time reading articles by people like Daphne Caruana Galizia, who regard the workers in a humiliating manner. However, and unfortunately, sometimes I am compelled to do so. Ms Caruana Galizia’s ‘Pilot panic’ (TMID, 20 December), which surprisingly made reference to some sectors of Air Malta’s employees, is one such example.
In her article, Ms Caruana Galizia did not hesitate to pronounce the grand hatred she holds in her heart towards the workers, especially towards certain sectors of Air Malta employees.
What exactly was Ms Daphne’s motive to dedicate the last paragraph of her article to other sectors of Air Malta’s workers when in fact she was writing about the national airline’s pilots? Why did she emphasise on these sectors? Maybe because these are members of the General Workers Union and she can therefore put them in bad light. And God forbid if Air Malta’s management were to heed her advice as the GWU would definitely defend the interests of these workers with all its means.
Certainly, Ms Daphne’s article does not fit and does not augur well in this particular time of the year, when everyone is exchanging greetings. Yet, and suddenly, Ms Daphne comes out vomiting her hatred on the workers simply because she thinks she’s different from them because they are workers.
Does Ms Daphne really pretend that she’s endowed with a divine right to come out and suggest to the management of Air Malta to get rid of certain sectors of its employees so that the company would use that money to meet the demands of its pilots? I have no doubt that the national airline’s pilots will detach themselves from nasty writings that are full of hatred against the workers.
Whatever Ms Daphne might say, it is an undeniable fact that for these workers and others, the GWU has striven hard and will continue on the same lines so that such workers and their families will never become dependent on people like her.
Who does Ms Daphne think she is, to try, with sheer arrogance, to make fun of the work of baggage handlers? She should know that the work of all workers, irrespective of category, trade or profession, is equally important, even within Air Malta. Work is the means by which one earns a living to sustain his family. The GWU works hard to improve work conditions.
What if these employees who are members of the GWU, decide to boycott Daphne’s luggage or her family’s, if they happen to be travelling abroad? Then she would have more on which to write!
I finally appeal to Ms Daphne to refrain from writing on matters and subjects she knows nothing about. If not, she will be more boring than she really already is. I also advise her to stop from continuing to attract upon her the people’s repugnance, especially the families of these workers. And as she suffers when things happen to her kids, these workers suffer equally for their families.
Charles Vella
Media and Information Executive
General Workers Union
Valletta