In a statement, the GWU said the ministry wanted to give the impression that it had continuous consultations with the social partners on competitiveness when, in fact, the ministry had been involved in the negotiations on the social pact.

The same had happened when, although the ministry was responsible for ports, it had been excluded from the negotiation process on the privatisation of the Freeport.

The ministry chose to deplore the GWU when it did not know about the constructive contribution it had given during the social pact negotiations.

The fact that no conclusion had been reached does not mean that the organisations present at the Malta Council for Economic and Social Development did not give a valid contribution, the union added.

To confirm that it was only interested in politicising issues, the ministry likened the social pact negotiations with those about the reform of the ports. The ministry had said this when negotiations about the port reform had not even started.