The GWU yesterday strongly refuted the claim made by the Malta Dockers Union that a number of invitations issued to port workers who are not members of the GWU were withdrawn. In actual fact, only the invitations issued inadvertently to the leadership committee of the MDU were withdrawn, the GWU said.

Those who are panicking today are the same people who promised heaven on earth but only managed to attain a reduction in the conditions of work that the workers previously enjoyed thanks only to the GWU, it added.

False rumours are now being spread by the same people who instigated the port workers to resign from the GWU and alas the MDU is now intentionally missing the wood for the trees and misleading the port workers.

Can the MDU enlighten us as to what is false regarding certain statements made by the GWU? Is it false to state, for example, that employees contracted by the MDU are working under inferior conditions of employment or that these workers are even being deprived of payment for the first five days of sick or injury leave?

The GWU added that fortunately, port workers are now realising who was playing with words and consequently are expressing their lack of confidence in the MDU. A case in point is the recommendation by the MDU in favour of the implementation of a four-shift system. The port workers were advised by the GWU against this four-shift system and subsequently this was rejected in a free and democratic ballot organised by the GWU.

Moreover, the GWU does not need permission from the leadership of MDU to call a port workers meeting. Certainly, what the GWU does is always made public and the union does not need to instigate or spread false rumours as it transpired in the past when certain people conspired against the GWU leadership and incited the port workers to resign from the GWU, the GWU said.