It is a recurring theme in this country of ours – union disputes that pop up every now and again on the most trivial of matters.

The latest case involves the suspension of seven drydocks employees after they were caught sleeping on the job. The General Workers’ Union immediately sprang to the defence of the workers and said that the management was wrong to suspend them.

We ask this question – in what other country in the Western world would these workers not have been sacked on the spot? This must all be seen in the context of what is going on at the drydocks.

It is still dependent on the taxpayer for income and is not really paying for itself. In short, the people that work there are being kept in their job by Joe Public, who foots the bill for their wages.

It is outrageous to think that these people were caught sleeping on the job. Investment and Industry Minister Austin Gatt also took this tack and said that it was absolutely unacceptable to have such goings on.

The union has said that the management was wrong to suspend the workers and that the decision to do so was in breach of the collective agreement. The management on the other hand has said that the workers’ decision to skive off work was also in breach of the collective agreement. In addition, some other workers decided to hold an impromptu protest at the yard, which led to the cancellation of a visit by a Canadian delegation. Is this really the way things should be in 2007? Should the union really be blustering about seven workers that slept on the job?

The answer is a resounding no. Things really must change. More than anything, one would expect the union to take a more cautious tone of voice over the issue. Perhaps if the union had contacted the management and said that the issue should be looked into quietly and that it would reserve any action till after the matter had been investigated, the outcome would have been different.

The union has also questioned whether there were ulterior motives that led to the suspension of the workers. One really cannot understand this type of reasoning, sleeping on the job is surely enough reason to take disciplinary action against any employee, no matter where he works.

Instead of closing down the yards, the government decided to put together a rescue strategy. From the off, the authorities had stated that for this to work, everyone had to do their bit – from the workmen to the union. It did seem that things were going to work out, but such incidents and the ensuing fall out will prevent the yards from ever becoming profitable.

A mentality change is needed. This is not the way forward. Malta is part of the global village in an era where competitiveness, efficiency and reliability are of paramount importance. We must strive ever harder against the tides that threaten to push us further from our goals. To remain competitive and to have a functioning healthy economy, we must, as a nation, work hard. One hopes that the matter is looked into fairly and equitably by the management, but we urge the union to change its ways. One simply cannot promote the idea that sleeping on the job is acceptable – the attitude the union has taken is tantamount to exactly