The restructuring procedures by Maltacom are unacceptable, and the General Workers Union will not agree to this new practice, GWU secretary-general Tony Zarb said yesterday during a press conference.
The GWU registered an industrial dispute with Maltacom yesterday over new restructuring procedures, and said that unless a positive reply is received by Monday, the union will issue directives.
Speaking at a press conference held in front of Maltacom’s offices yesterday, GWU Technology and Electronics Section secretary Andrew Mizzi explained that Maltacom personnel had been instructed to reapply for their jobs with the company, sit for a test, and be subjected to a six-month probation period.
As a result, Mr Mizzi said, yesterday the GWU had presented a letter addressed to Maltacom chief executive officer David Kay, to which, he said, the union is expecting a positive reply in writing by Monday. If not, Mr Mizzi added, the GWU will issue directives.
In the letter, said Mr Mizzi, he pointed out that the procedures were “very far from what was presented to us during last Wednesday’s meeting between the Human Resources and Administration Department of the Group and the union.”
Mr Zarb said that the GWU is not against Maltacom carrying out a restructuring process, as long as each decision that is to be implemented is discussed and agreed upon by both parties.
In reply to the GWU press conference, Mr Kay reassured Mr Mizzi in a letter sent yesterday afternoon that Maltacom will not “cut down on the number of workers or make people redundant.”
“It is our desire that the job functions will be filled by existing employees, as long as they have the right attributes and basic skill sets which can be developed,” he said.
Mr Kay pointed out that, as a result of Maltacom being privatised, it is facing stiff competition, especially in the fixed line business – “a factor which could lead to substantial losses of revenue in this aspect of our business.”
Furthermore, Mr Kay added, the company operates in a “highly regulated environment whereby Malta-com, being the incumbent operator, faces considerable pressure on several fronts.”
The letter referred to Maltacom’s intention to enter new areas of business and its commitment to become a customer-centred organisation.
“All this requires a new structure – hence the restructuring,” said Mr Kay.
As a result, “this new operating structure requires the realignment of members of staff within the new structure.”
He pointed out that the commercial division will be “the focus of the restructuring process, given that it will ultimately be very difficult to have the best portfolio of products and services, without having the ability to deliver these successfully to the market.”
Mr Kay explained that the whole aim of the restructuring process is to have a fair and transparent process where “employees can apply for the posts they feel they are competent to fill.”
Furthermore, he added, certain candidates may be required to sit for a competency test “in order to assess their suitability for certain roles.”
He also said that Maltacom has no intention of reducing salaries or removing benefits and that later this year, “the compensation and benefits will be evaluated against comparable salaries in the market as part of a job evaluation and grading exercise.”
Finally, Mr Kay said that Maltacom had recently engaged a top international business consultancy firm to “review our work processes and address those which are lacking or outdated and which need to be updated and changed”.
He also invited all employees to attend an introductory meeting which will be held with the consultancy firm next week.