Eight members of the Association of Malta Car Importers yesterday filed a judicial protest against the General Workers’ Union for breaching the terms of a collective agreement.

In its protest, the association said that in December 2004, the collective agreement between all agencies and the GWU expired. As a result, they sent a letter on 1 March 2006 to the union with proposals for the new collective agreement, which was answered by counter proposals by the union.

Meetings with the union ensued, they said, and a conciliation meeting was scheduled for 25 May because certain parties could not attend. But on Tuesday the union sent out a letter saying that since certain factions did not attend for the meeting of 16 May, the union would be taking industrial action.

In fact, industrial action began yesterday morning. The association said that according to the previous collective agreement, the union was obliged to give 24 hours notice before any such action is taken.

In addition, they said that according to the same agreement, the union could only order industrial action “after official proceedings will have failed to produce and agreement”.

The association said that the meetings were never concluded and that the terms of the previous collective agreement were still in force as is stipulated in the same agreement.

The association therefore requested the union to stop such illegal and abusive activity, holding them responsible for the situation and reserved the right to take further legal action. Dr Charisse Ellul signed the protest.