Following a committee meeting of Union Haddiema Maghqudin (UHM) representatives of maritime pilots, the union’s port, transport and aviation section issued a 48-hour notice to the Malta Maritime Authority (MMA).

UHM said in a statement that it had to resort to industrial action due to MMA’s intransigence and negative attitude towards negotiations that should have led to a revision of the collective agreement for maritime pilots.

Despite UHM’s insistence for continuation of negotiations, these had been suspended for the last four months and the collective agreement expired on 9 April 2006.

The union’s committee representing Maltese maritime pilots has already drafted a plan for industrial action, which will be put into effect unless the matter develops positively.

The union said it will not accept that the government or any of the concerned authorities drag their feet any longer.