UHM Voice of the Workers said it has suspended industrial action in connection with pending public sector collective agreements in the wake of the declaration made by the Office of the Principal Permanent Secretary that talks would resume immediately after the general election.

“This gesture of goodwill by the union confirms that industrial actions are not taken to satisfy any political agenda but only in the best interest of its members,” the union said.

“As a matter of fact, the vast majority of public sector collective agreements concluded in this legislature were those involving UHM. Following the 2017 general election this union was involved in 51% of the collective agreements sealed and 57% of the sectoral agreements reached. However, UHM insists that the decision to abruptly suspend negotiations in the aftermath of the announcement that the country was going to the polls, contrasts with past practice.”

The union said that, between May and June 2017, negotiations on several collective agreements continued and in some cases were concluded such as those for employees at SportMalta, the Housing Authority and Gozo Channel.

“Consequently, the union cannot understand the reason behind government’s change of heart which translates to further delays to improve the working conditions of affected employees.”

UHM Voice of the Workers warned that if talks on these pending collective agreements do not resume immediately after the election as promised, it will have no other way than to resort to industrial action.