News 07/07/2002

Denials and no comments

Tony Coleiro does not exclude contesting Cutajar’s vacated post

It was a week of denials and no comments from the General Workers’ Union top brass when questioned by MaltaToday about events that happened and others that ‘did not happen’.

Earlier in the week MaltaToday was following a lead about alleged meetings held between the Labour Party and the GWU recently in which the party requested the union to adopt a more pro-MLP line in its newspapers in the run up to the general elections.

However, when contacted both Labour leader Alfred Sant and GWU Secretary General Tony Zarb denied the existence of such meetings. They told this newspaper that the claims were not true.

Mr Zarb also denied having any pressure from the Labour Party not to run adverts pertaining to the Malta-EU Information Centre. "It is not true," he answered.

Barely had the ink dried on these comments when The Times leaked the news that Deputy Secretary General Mario Cutajar was going to resign from the union.

The resignation, which was officially accepted by the union on Friday is shrouded in mystery and both Tony Zarb and Mario Cutajar gave this newspaper a plain ‘no comment’ reply when asked the reason for the deputy secretary general’s sudden break with union ranks. Mr Cutajar also denied that he was interested in contesting the next election with the Labour Party.

The former deputy secretary general was known to be very close to Labour leader Alfred Sant, something, which did not put him in Tony Zarb’s good books.

Union insiders told MaltaToday that despite being the ‘brains’ behind the union, Mario Cutajar was a difficult person to work with. They added that he clashed on a number of occasions with Tony Zarb.

Mr Cutajar was also tipped as the next GWU secretary general, something, which did not please the section secretaries too much.

Sources told this newspaper that with Mario Cutajar at the helm the powers of the section secretaries would have been curtailed given his style of leadership. However, union officials have publicly denied that Mr Cutajar was forced to resign by his own colleagues.

Mario Cutajar was elected deputy secretary general in October 1998 after a keen contest with the shipyards section secretary Tony Coleiro.

Contacted by MaltaToday Tony Coleiro did not exclude the possibility that he might contest the post vacated by Mr Cutajar.

"If the GWU decides to issue a vacancy for such a post I will decide on the day whether to contest. At the moment I can't say that I shall contest or shall not contest, I have to see the circumstances on the day," Mr Coleiro told this newspaper.

The militant trade unionist insisted that it was the union’s prerogative whether to issue a vacancy for the post. The union has two deputy secretary generals, Michael Parnis, who is responsible for foreign operations and the other, Mario Cutajar who was responsible for all the sections.

Mr Coleiro insisted that there was no grudge between Mario Cutajar and himself. "I respected Mario and he respected me," Mr Coleiro insisted saying that what was published in the newspapers during the week was "all a lie."

However, Tony Coleiro would not be drawn into commenting on the personal clashes between Tony Zarb and Mario Cutajar. "If you want to know something just ask Mr Zarb or Mr Cutajar, I always worked for the good of the GWU and not for the good of individuals," Mr Coleiro told this newspaper.

The section secretary would neither spill the beans on the reason for Mr Cutajar’s resignation. "I have no idea what really happened. All I know is that Mario sent in a letter of resignation, and that's all," Mr Coleiro said.

Although political observers are interpreting Mario Cutajar’s departure as a sign that the union wants to distance itself from the Labour party the issue may be related to internal trade union politics and power structures.

In just over a year the GWU has lost three officials. First it was section secretary and militant trade unionist Ronnie Pellegrini, who walked out. Then came GWU president James Pearsall, who did not re-contest the post. And now it was Mario Cutajar’s turn to walk away from the union.