Sources close to the trade union movement in Malta yesterday described the removal of General Workers Union public sector section president Francis Buttigieg and section secretary Josephine Attard Sultana as a “black day” for the GWU.

Speaking to The Malta Independent, the sources said the issue involving Mr Buttigieg and Ms Attard Sultana “went completely out of hand”, adding that the militant attitude within the GWU was “glaring”.

Ms Attard Sultana and Mr Buttigieg were forced to leave the GWU, because, the union said, they did not act in the union’s best interest.

Their dismissal came through a motion presented to the GWU national council by the union’s central administration on Tuesday, and passed with 29 votes in favour and 13 against.

The sources said that whatever happened, and for whatever reason the decision to remove them was taken, people who have been working with a union in the best interest of workers should not be treated that way. They said it was a black day for the GWU, but it was not a black day for trade unionism because the GWU is not the only union in Malta.

The sources said the situation within the GWU is not a happy one and this, they said, is reflected throughout the institution. They said that the militant attitude with which the union and its administration is leading the union is not only resulting in its members losing faith in the union, but also leading to people leaving – or, in this case, being forced to leave – the union’s administration.

The sources said the GWU has for a long time been proud of having Josephine Attard Sultana – a woman – as a section secretary. The situation within the GWU has never been so bad, they said, not even when former secretary general Anglu Fenech was ousted from the union several years ago.

“Josephine Attard Sultana left the union as a heroine. Not only did she fight for her rights in court, and win, but through her, the true GWU has once again emerged. She was not militant, so she was kicked out and there are more dismissals to come,” the sources said.

Meanwhile, in a statement, the GWU said that the decision to remove Ms Attard Sultana and Mr Buttigieg from their post was taken by means of a secret vote. It said 64.5 per cent of the council members voted in favour of a motion for their removal.

The GWU said that according to clause nine of the union’s statute, the National Council can suspend or expel any committee member or official who does not act in the union’s best interests.

The union said it is in possession of a petition, calling for an extraordinary general conference, signed by 40 per cent of delegates of the Public Sector Section, and none of these people approached the union to withdraw their signature, notwithstanding claims that they had been pressured to do so.

Contrary to what is being claimed, Ms Attard Sultana has not lost her job because she was employed with the union after she was granted special leave. Originally, she is employed as an instructress with the government, and can now return to her previous job.

The union said the Public Sector Section within the GWU will be taken over by union deputy secretary general Gejtu Mercieca for the time being.