Confederation of Malta Trade Union president William Portelli’s suggestion that more unions might be interested in joining the CMTU appears to have drawn a blank as both the FORUM – which represents around 3,000 professional workers – and the General Workers’ Union said they are not interested in joining the CMTU.
However, both the FORUM and the GWU want a Trade Union Council. But even here, the GWU has reservations.
Mr Portelli made the suggestion in an interview that was carried yesterday in The Malta Independent.
Speaking to The Malta Independent, Rudolph Cini, president of Malta Union of Nurses and Midwives, one of FORUM’s members, insisted that a fresh start in trade unionism was required and that there was a need for an umbrella grouping that brought all unions together.
“We have always insisted on the formation of a Trade Union Council or something along those lines. We have always said that if we continue insisting on the rebuilding or a reform of the CMTU then we will not be going anywhere,” Mr Cini said.
However, Mr Cini added that it was positive that the unions appeared to agree that they had to be united to find solutions to the country’s problems.
“The fact that unions agree that they have to be united means that there is light at the end of the tunnel. We could also come up with a new name if a Trade Union Council is an obsolete and outdated title.
“The important thing is that we start afresh and not resort to patchwork.”
General Workers’ Union secretary general Tony Zarb said that on no condition would his union be joining the CMTU – reforms or not.
“There are two national centres of workers’ organisations in Malta that are internationally recognised; one is represented by the GWU and the other by the CMTU. If both centres want to work together, the relationship should be based on trust and we have to know what conditions are on the table before we sit down and talk. As for the proposed reforms in the CMTU, that is their business and we have nothing to do with it,” Mr Zarb said.
Asked whether the setting up of a Trade Union Council was possible, Mr Zarb said the GWU had mooted the idea for a TUC, and “we had always worked to achieve this goal and it was definitely not our fault that the Council had not materialised.
“It would be better if trade unions first and foremost get to work closer together before they start thinking of a TUC.
“The General Workers’ Union was and remains in favour of a Trade Union Council. Not only that but the GWU took various initiatives to find ways how the unions could work more closely together.
“The GWU went even further and brought over to Malta ETUC’s secretary general, John Monks in an effort to bring the unions together. We also took an active role in various seminars organised by the Workers’ Participation and Development Centre on this matter.
“However one cannot simply wake up in the morning and decide that we want to set up a TUC; this requires a lot of work, patience and detailed negotiations,” he said.
With regard changes to the structure and modus operandi of the Malta Council for Economic and Social Development (MCESD), Mr Zarb made it very clear that the GWU was against any form of majority voting on the council.
“In June, all social partners represented within the MCESD will meet together to discuss possible reforms. I can only say that the GWU is working hard to prepare its position. However, I can confirm that we are completely against the introduction of a majority voting system because it would defeat the scope of the council: to be a consultative committee,” Mr Zarb added.
The council members failed to reach an agreement on a social pact and they also failed to take a common position on how to mitigate the impact of the government surcharge on water and electricity.
After these meetings, several associations represented within the MCESD openly called for the council structure to be changed and that decisions should be taken by the majority.