GWU calls off industrial action at migrants' centre
The General Workers Union stops actions it called at migrants' centres following security agreement.
The General Workers Union (GWU) called off the industrial actions it initiated yesterday against the Agency for the Welfare of Asylum Seekers (AWAS).
Employees were ordered to walk out if they are threatened by migrants while on duty.
The actions were called in order to protect AWAS employees from the "physical threats" they suffered at the hands of some migrants resident at Dar is-Sliem in Santa Venera.
The GWU explained that the actions were called off after the Agency took the necessary measures to protect its employees from physical threats.
This followed an incident on Sunday in which a 13-year-old migrant threatened care workers at the centre but the police could not take any action against the migrant since he was underage.
The union added that an agreement has been reached to increase the security presence in the AWAS centres.
Apart from these security measures, an agreement was also reached to help the migrants and discussions are underway to create structures to help these persons.
Meanwhile section secretary Josef Bugeja and the AWAS management have requested a meeting with the Police Commissioner to clarify the position of the police in cases of aggression carried out by underage migrants and discuss the possibility of having continuous police presence in these residential centres.
•
Illegal immigration is bad for our economy, for the social cohesion of our society, for public health and – from the above and from regular reports of court cases – it is also bad for public order.
