Threats from union representatives will definitely not be accepted in this day and age and definitely not as long as the Nationalist party is in government, Investment, Industry and IT Minister Austin Gatt said yesterday.

Dr Gatt was speaking during a press conference yesterday that was called urgently after an incident took place at the dockyard earlier during the day.

Malta Dockyard chairman John Cassar White explained that seven dockyard employees, including a supervisor were caught sleeping while they were on night shift about two weeks ago.

All seven employees were suspended on half pay on Monday and a disciplinary board yesterday started investigating the case with urgency, in accordance with the General Workers’ Union (GWU) collective agreement, said Mr Cassar White, adding that yesterday morning around 50 workers gathered close to the human resources executive’s office to protest in sympathy with the suspended workers.

The chairman said another 50 workers gathered close to the same office during their break for the same reason and a meeting with a delegation from Canada which was meant to visit the dockyard had to be cancelled, since it could not be ensured that everything would be in order.

Mr Cassar White said the HR executive then received threats from Sammy Meilak, from the GWU’s metal and construction section, that should the suspended workers not be asked to return to work by Monday, the union would take further action.

However the dockyard management made sure its actions were in accordance with the collective agreement and it has made it clear that it will treat the matter with the urgency it deserves and that the disciplinary board’s decision will be respected.

Should the suspended employees be proven innocent, they will be given the full pay for the days spent in suspension, said Mr Cassar White, adding that the dockyard is facing challenging times, but it can yield results if it received full co-operation and commitment from everyone, including the unions.

Minister Gatt insisted that such situations over a suspension will not be tolerated and immediate action will be taken against whoever goes against the established collective agreement.

“Anyone who does something illegal as happened this morning will be given the sack immediately,” was Dr Gatt’s blunt statement.

Such situations whereby union representatives threaten the management used to happen in the 70s and 80s, not in 2006, he said, adding that tax-payers have paid enough for the dockyard.

“A total of Lm113 million would have been spent by 2008 at the dockyard and there is still a lot that needs to be done. Everyone needs to recognise their responsibility and collective agreements must be respected.

“My message to workers is that they should not be led by those who have other interests, because this will not safeguard your jobs,” insisted Dr Gatt, adding that the majority of dockyard employees are reasonable, but they let themselves be led by those who are not, and using threat will not get them anywhere.

Codes of discipline must be respected by everyone and the idea that threat will lead to any form of triumph is a thing of the past, said the minister.