No talks took place between the Malta Shipyards management and the General Workers Union yesterday. The shipyard remains at a standstill for the second day running following a GWU work to rule directive.

This meant that work on a number of ships undergoing repair was not continued.

IT and Investments Minister Austin Gatt is abroad on government business. The GWU called a work to rule on Monday after negotiations with the Malta Dry Docks management over a number of issues connected with the November 2003 collective agreement had still not been ironed out a year later.

The minister on Monday issued a statement, including a letter he had sent to GWU secretary general Tony Zarb. In his letter Dr Gatt told Mr Zarb that he was confused as to who he should deal with when he dealt with the General Workers Union.

“Just two days ago (28 January) I and GWU deputy secretary general (Manuel Micallef) had agreed to meet in order to solve the final problem when I get back from abroad. Then, suddenly two days after, I am faced with yesterday’s letter signed by the Metal and Construction Secretary, who I assume knew about the agreement since he was to be present at the meeting! I am forced to remind you that this is the second time something like this happened in a matter of a few weeks. I am sure you remember that a few weeks ago you had to intervene personally so that a letter sent by a section, which I assume you were not aware of, had to be taken back, so that we could keep discussing.”

Further on in the letter, the minister said that as the GWU is aware the government does not negotiate under threat and therefore has instructed the Malta Shipyards management not to continue with negotiations.

The Malta Independent contacted Mr Micallef with regard to Dr Gatt’s claims. He said he had agreed to meet the minister and discuss the matter at the end of the week. Mr Micallef said that the e-mail correspondence between the minister and himself was absolutely of an informal nature and that it was simply an initiative he took to try to help with the negotiations. “I actually phoned to see whether we could meet with the minister the day after, but the minister told me he couldn’t, we just said that we would meet after he gets back. So I just left it at that.”

The GWU discussed the letter yesterday afternoon. When contacted after the meeting, GWU Secretary General Tony Zarb would not comment on the outcome of the meeting.

TMID also called GWU metal and construction secretary Charles Agius for comments. Mr Agius said: “We’re in a deadlock. No progress has been made and we received no call from the management.” Asked whether the union had tried to contact the management, Mr Agius said that the union had already made its position clear and had called the work to rule precisely because negotiations with the management had been exhausted.