After a meeting between representatives from the General Workers’ Union and Bank of Valletta, the bank has withdrawn the measure it intended to impose on working mothers who work on a reduced hours basis, the GWU said in a statement yesterday.

During the meeting, the union had warned the bank that if it decided to stop reduced hours for those mothers whose children had passed their fourth birthday, most of them would have to resign their employment.

On its part, the bank said that it had no intention to force workers to leave their employment with the bank. However it said that difficulties were being created due to the ever-increasing number of people who were asking for work on a reduced hours system.

The union proposed a clause which was accepted by the bank, that reduced hours for working mothers would be applicable until children are 12 years old. Both the union and the bank agreed to hold further discussions on this subject.