With almost unanimity, 94.7 per cent of Arriva employees, GWU members, have approved the collective agreement negotiated on their behalf by the General Workers Union.
The Maritime and Aviation Section of the union had previously called four meetings for members in which it explained to them the agreement reached.
Two meetings were held in Malta and two in Gozo. The workers then voted in a secret ballot giving their judgement on the agreement reached.
The union said the collective agreement will substantially improve the working conditions of the Arriva employees. It includes:
● Shorter working hours
● A new wage structure and an increase in wages
● Increases as compensation for the cost of living
● Differentiation between wages of those who drive the bendy-buses and those who do not
● Disciplinary Board
● All duties to begin from Arriva depots
● Night allowance for every night worked
● Different allowance on special occasions
● Cumulative breaks
● Patterns of shifts
● One-time special bonus
● Health insurance
● Performance Bonus
● Improvement in sick leave
● Free transport to and from home
● Increase in marriage leave
● Increase in maternity leave
● Increase in bereavement special leave
The union thanked all its members who understood the union’s efforts to improve their work conditions. The union also thanked them for not giving in to the siren voices that tried to tempt them before attending union meetings.
In its discussions with the Arriva management, the union had the constant support of UNITE, which represents the majority of Arriva employees in Britain.
The union was represented in the talks by Secretary General Tony Zarb, the secretary of the Maritime and Aviation Section Charles Agius and by Ronald Scicluna, Manwel Spiteri, George Cutajar, Johann Spiteri and Raymond De Carlo, all Group Committee members, while Arriva was represented by Dave Kay, Managing Director, Christine Camilleri, Human Resources Manager, and Kim Pourcell, Operations Director. Ray Fenech, company director, also helped in the talks.