The European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) has formally raised concerns with the European Commission over what it describes as a threat to trade union rights in Malta following the criminal investigation of a General Workers' Union (GWU) official.
The GWU said in a statement that the ETUC has written to Roxana Minzatu, with the letter signed by ETUC General Secretary Esther Lynch, calling on the Commission to seek assurances from Maltese authorities that similar incidents of alleged interference with freedom of association will not occur again.
The matter concerns the GWU's Section Secretary for Transport, Maritime and Aviation, who was investigated by the Malta Police Force after a complaint was filed by the Electoral Commission of Malta over a communication sent to union members on 29 May 2026, the day of electoral silence ahead of the election.
According to the GWU, the communication related solely to ongoing collective agreement negotiations involving workers employed by Resource Support and Services Ltd. (RSSL).
The union said negotiations had not been concluded and that several members had contacted the official seeking clarification on the status of discussions with the company.
The GWU maintained that the message contained no political content and was strictly related to employment matters.
Following the complaint, the union official was questioned under caution by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID).
The GWU subsequently defended the official's actions, informed the ETUC of the case and sought discussions with the Employment Relations Board.
On 2 July 2026, the Malta Police Force closed its investigation and confirmed that there was no case to answer.
The GWU said the decision supported its position that the official had committed no offence by communicating with members about collective bargaining matters.
However, the union said the broader issue remained unresolved, arguing that a trade union representative had been subjected to a criminal investigation while carrying out a legitimate representative function.
The GWU said the right of trade unions to communicate with members and carry out collective bargaining activities is protected under international labour standards, including International Labour Organization Conventions No. 87, No. 98 and No. 135, all of which have been ratified by Malta. It also referred to Articles 5 and 6 of the European Social Charter, which provide protections for trade union rights.
The ETUC's intervention calls on the European Commission to engage with Maltese authorities and seek guarantees that trade union officials in Malta and other EU, European Economic Area and candidate countries can perform their duties without interference.
GWU Secretary General Kevin Camilleri said the support from the ETUC demonstrated the seriousness with which the European trade union movement viewed the case.
"The solidarity shown by the ETUC and by Esther Lynch personally has been outstanding," Camilleri said. "From the moment we raised this matter, the ETUC stood with us without hesitation."
He added that the investigation had shown the importance of protecting trade union rights.
"Our Section Secretary did his job. He was investigated for it. The police found no case to answer. The ETUC has now ensured that the principle at stake reaches the highest levels of the European institutions," Camilleri said.
The GWU said it would continue working with the ETUC to ensure that no trade union official in Malta or elsewhere in Europe faces similar action in the future, warning that any repeat occurrence could be taken before international supervisory bodies, including the ILO Committee on Freedom of Association.