17 - 23 February 2000

General Workers' Union invited to meet Prime Minister

by Anthony Manduca

The secretary general of the General Workers' Union, Tony Zarb, yesterday received a letter from the Prime Minister's private secretary asking him to confirm reports that he wanted an appointment with Dr Fenech Adami to discuss the budget measures. Mr Zarb was told that if he confirmed these reports, an appointment would be made at the earliest possible time.

On Tuesday evening during a Pjazza 3 discussion programme with finance minister John Dalli, Mr Zarb insisted on being given an appointment with the Prime Minister. The GWU is presently involved in a campaign against the budget measures and has promised to issue certain directives today.

The government, on the other hand, has said that the GWU has not come up with any concrete proposals, and has dismissed the GWU's report on the impact of the budget measures on the population as a gross exaggeration.

The government has not yet answered the GWU's request for a statement to be made on whether the budget measures are negotiable or not. In an interview with The Malta Independent on Sunday soon after the budget was announced last November, Mr Dalli had made it clear that the budget measures were not negotiable.

The budget impasse looks like a no-win situation for both the government and the GWU with no side willing to budge. However, Tony Zarb yesterday welcomed the Prime Minister's invitation saying the union was more than willing to continue discussing the present situation.