The General Workers’ Union has, throughout its 62 years of existence, offered support to thousands of workers in Malta and was born to live forever, GWU secretary-general Tony Zarb said yesterday.

Speaking near the Workers’ Monument in Msida on the occasion of GWU Day, Mr Zarb – flanked by Manuel Micallef, who will be contesting Mr Zarb’s post in today’s election – said the GWU was born 62 years ago at a time when Maltese workers needed it most.

It was important that the union, which was born to live forever, continued to offer support and comfort to these workers, he said.

He praised those people who had worked over the years in order for the GWU to prosper and promised that union officials would continue building on what had already been achieved and the many successes.

Mr Zarb took the opportunity to offer the union’s condolences to the families of the five youths who lost their lives in the traffic accident last weekend. He said the union’s thoughts were with the victims’ families.

Union officials from Cyprus, Italy, Portugal, Denmark, Tunisia and San Marino attended the ceremony. They have come to Malta in order to attend the union’s national congress, which is being held today.