They say history repeats itself, and in the case of the General Workers’ Union, this is so true.

On Thursday, over four hours of talks at the Malta Council for Economic and Social Development were not enough to break the impasse between the social partners on the water and electricity surcharge issue.

The government proposed the commissioning of a study to gauge the impact of the increase in surcharge, combining it with efforts to find ways to improve the country’s economic growth. It was another attempt to bring the social partners together in a bid to push the country forward – a social pact in miniature.

However, in a repeat of what happened earlier this year when no agreement was reached on a social pact, the social partners failed to reach an accord on Thursday.

Once again, the General Workers’ Union is stalling progress. Most of the social partners who took part in Thursday’s meeting, which was also attended by Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi, put the blame on the GWU.

“Yet again,” Parliamentary Secretary Tonio Fenech said. “All the social partners bar one…” said CMTU president John Bencini, with reference to the GWU.

“We could not give in to the GWU’s request…” FOI president Adrian Bajada commented.

The union said the study should be commissioned on condition that compensation would be given immediately if the increase in the surcharge was found to have a negative impact on the weaker sectors of society. It also suggested that the surcharge be suspended pending the conclusion of the study – a proposal that was also turned down.

The other social partners on the MCESD agreed with the government’s proposal, but the talks failed because of the union’s intransigence.

The union has now found itself fighting a battle on its own at the MCESD. While the other social partners have come to terms on the proposal made by the government, the union still feels the need to ask for more than it has already obtained. Let us not forget that workers have been given a 50c weekly rise to make up for the surcharge starting from January. This decision has set a precedent because any cost of living adjustments were, until now, given a year later – after the full impact of inflation had been calculated and not when fiscal or other measures are introduced.

The union held a protest march on the eve of CHOGM to, it claimed, defend the rights of the workers. It will be holding another one on 15 December. Earlier this week, it ordered a work to rule directive. The GWU is claiming the action has been a success. However, the directive could backfire on the workers if employers decide to seek compensation from workers’ wages, if losses are incurred because of industrial action.

Employers are saying that the union does not have a dispute with them and “just as much as the union has the right to look after the interests of the workers, so did the MEA have a right to safeguard the interests of employers”, MEA president Arthur Muscat said.

The only backing the union seems to be getting is from the Malta Labour Party. Top MLP officials attended the union’s protest march in Valletta, and speeches given by MLP leaders more or less put the party on the same wavelength with the GWU.

The union says it was acting in defence of workers’ rights and conditions. However, protests and industrial action will not protect jobs and working conditions. If anything, they can only make the situation worse.

Only if the GWU and the social partners get together and reach an agreement can a solution to the country’s problems be found.

If the GWU always disagrees every time something is proposed – and the other social partners agree – then it is the workers who will ultimately suffer the most.