Government offers ‘lump sum’ to remaining shipyard workers
Yards to close on March 30 while company liquidation process to start on April 5
Karl Stagno-Navarra Government has reportedly extended a lump sum offer to the remaining 60 shipyard workers who more than a year ago had refuted an offer for a golden handshake, and have now until next Thursday to decide on whether to accept or be transferred to Industrial Projects and Services Ltd (IPSL), an entity created to absorb redundant workers and place them with local councils.
The offer was made yesterday to the workers, who were also informed by government that it intends to liquidate Malta Shipyards Limited on 5 April, while the dockyards’ gates will be officially closed by 30 March, marking an end to Malta’s longest-running industrial complex, the cradle of the labour movement, and an entity which also drained an estimated €1 billion in subsidies.
Intense negotiations between finance ministry officials and the General Workers Union continued throughout this week, leading GWU secretary-general Tony Zarb to take the upper hand to thwart a potential rebellion inside the yard by a handful of workers loyal to union stalwart Sammy Meilaq.
MaltaToday is informed that senior ministry officials ordered the “immediate removal” of two large tanks containing compressed air, that were unjustifiably moved just metres away from the main gate in Ghajn Dwieli.
Sources said the tanks were seen as a “potential security threat” in the event that the remaining workers stage a sit-in.
A meeting for workers called by Sammy Meilaq, scheduled to be held last Wednesday eve, was also called off. Meilaq was reportedly warned by Tony Zarb to tone down his militancy and to not jeopardise the position of the remaining workers, days before government concludes negotiations with Neapolitan firm Palumbo S.p.A.
In comments to MaltaToday, Zarb declined to comment about Sammy Meilaq, but stressed that the shipyards issue was an “extremely delicate” one that needed to be handled with “utmost care”.
MaltaToday is informed that while a secret meeting was held between government and the GWU between Thursday and Friday, a series of phone calls were exchanged between the two sides until yesterday morning over government’s final offer.
The dockyard workers were addressed by Tony Zarb yesterday morning, inside the Workers Memorial Building in Valletta, and were informed of the offer, described as “acceptable” by members present. They are to be formally notified in writing of this development by tomorrow afternoon.
Asked to comment about the latest developments, a finance ministry spokesman yesterday told MaltaToday that “official comments will be made once all negotiations with the GWU are concluded.”
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