The 11 unions which are in contention with the government over the high electricity and water tariffs which were introduced when the international price of oil was mugh higher than it is today have written to the chairman of the Malta Resources Authority (MRA) for clarification.
The unions had requested to meet the Prime Minister over the issue, but Dr Gonzi turned their request down and suggested they meet the authority. On 2 January they held a press conference to say that action will be taken unless the PM agreed to meet them by 9 January, but Dr Gonzi turned their offer down, again urging them to meet the MRA. The unions have since instructed householders to delay paying their dues until then end of the 45-day window they are given by Enemalta Corporation and the Water Services Corporation.
Yesterday, they succumbed to Dr Gonzi’s wishes by requesting a meeting with the MRA.
They told the MRA chairman they are doing a clarification exercise about the process which led to the recent revision of the utility bills. They particularly requested the authority to supply a full chronological account of the revision process, including all instances where the authority was involved directly.
The unions requested a copy of the correspondence and relative reports, including the report about the social impact the tariffs revision would have, if this had been commissioned and carried out.
The 11 unions writing the letter are: The Association of Air Engineers, The Pilots’ Association, the General Workers’ Union, the Malta Union of Nurses and Midwives, the Malta Union of Teachers, the Union of Cabin Crew, the Central Bank Employees Union, the academic staff union at the university, the Mepa Professionals union, the Union of Architects and Engineers in the Public Service, and the Mepa technicians and clerical workers union.
The UHM and CMTU, which originally formed part of a group of 20 unions that had marched in Valletta in November to protest against the rise in the water and electricity tariffs, pulled out after accepting the tariffs as detailed in a letter sent by the Prime Minister.