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James Debono
The rifts which first emerged in the showdown between self-declared militants and moderates in the election for the General Workers Union’s top posts in October, have resurfaced in a meeting of the union’s national council held on Monday MaltaToday can reveal.
The meeting was called by GWU secretary general Tony Zarb to discuss the port workers’ decision to appoint George Abela, the former Labour party deputy leader, as the legal representative in forthcoming negotiations with the government on port reform.
In a meeting held last Monday’s GWU section secretaries, Josephine Attard Sultana, Karmenu Vella and Emmanuel Zammit tried to defuse the situation between port workers and the union’s administration.
Josephine Attard Sultana, the section secretary representing workers in the public service, proposed that port workers are invited to address the union’s council in order to explain why they had chosen George Abela.
But the majority turned down her proposal.
Karmenu Vella argued that this was not the first time the union had used consultants from outside the union, including that of George Abela.
Vella pointed out that unlike Sea Malta workers, port workers had not turned their back on the GWU section which represents them. He commended port workers for insisting that the maritime and aviation section should represent them in these talks. Vella insisted that port workers had not chosen George Abela as their lawyer to spite the union’s administration, but only to ensure that their interests are fully safeguarded.
Emmanuel Zammit insisted he could not ignore the port workers’ demand to have Abela as their legal representative, although he was aware that this could create a “dilemma” for the union.
He insisted the council should first listen to port workers before deciding to refuse their demand. He warned that if the union refused their demand, it could face their resignation from the union.
The speeches of the three dissident section secretaries were met with continuous interruptions and calls that “enough was enough” (“issa daqshekk”).
Zammit was attacked for lacking in leadership qualities. Vella was derided as an actor whose speeches are only worthy for theatre drama.
They were also accused by the self-styled militants of not being able to stomach the great victory “they” had over the moderates in the congress.
The three section secretaries who were derided by militants in last Monday’s meeting had also been targeted in an anonymous flier distributed during elections for the union’s top posts in October 2005.
The flier also said that they were not wanted anymore in the GWU.
The National Council of the General Workers Union finally decided by asking Tony Zarb and Gejtu Mercieca, as well as the maritime and aviation section, to “suspend” their opposing positions until tomorrow morning when a meeting between the two sides is to be held.
The committee representing port workers will be now expected to explain why they have chosen Abela as their representative. Zarb and Mercieca will be explaining why they are objecting to Abela’s consultancy.
Contacted by MaltaToday, Zarb would not comment on what happened on Monday. He refused to explain why he is opposing port workers for choosing Abela as their legal representative. He refused to comment on rifts which re-emerged in last Monday’s meeting.
Port workers are an organised group of 400 self-employed workers licensed to unload containers at the port. Port workers still inherit their licence from one generation to the next.
George Abela had fallen with Labour leader Alfred Sant back in 1998 and continued to serve as the union’s legal advisor until he then fell out with Tony Zarb in 2001.
Port workers are insisting they should be represented in these negotiations by Emmanuel Zammit, the secretary of the Maritime and Aviation Section of the General Workers Union and by George Abela as their legal advisor.
This is not the first time that Abela has assisted members of Zammit’s section after his rupture with Zarb.
In April 2004, George Abela represented the GWU’s maritime and aviation section, as well as three other unions, in negotiations with the government on the restructuring of Air Malta. The discussion led to an agreement between unions and government guaranteeing all jobs at the national airline.
jdebono@mediatoday.com.mt
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