UHM goes to court after Gozo Channel stops workers obeying industrial action directives

The UHM has gone to court after the Gozo Channel removed its members from work rosters on the ferry service.

The workers are employed by Executive Security Services, a contractor offering services to Gozo Channel.

The union said its members who were obeying industrial action directives were left out of work rosters by Gozo Channel.

The union has been fighting for better wages for contractor employees and has twice resorted to strike action that crippled the Gozo ferry service. The last strike happened at the beginning of the month.

The UHM has now asked the court for an injunction against the companies to protect the wages of employees who were removed from work rosters.

The saga has been going on for a number of months and is also subject to an investigation by the Director of Industrial and Employment Regulations.

"The UHM cannot understand why workers have to be put through this Calvary to enjoy the same work conditions as colleagues employed directly by Gozo Channel,” the union said, adding this was discriminatory behaviour.