The General Workers’ Union said 2011 has been a year of considerable successes for it, with, for one, a substantial increase of 4,155 in the membership. They include over 1,000 young people from the tertiary educational level of the University of Malta and MCAST.

A large number of the new membership are from 28 workplaces where the GWU had not had an industrial relations presence previously. 14 of these workplaces have already recognised it officially, the union said. They include the British High Commission, RTI and Media Centre, DHL, Arriva, Farsons Beverages Imports and Manoel Island Yacht Yard.

The GWU said that its seven sections concluded 31 new collective agreements and talks about 45 new agreements are in their final phase.