I refer to Karl Stagno-Navarra’s article under the title GWU, Forum in move to sideline UHM, CMTU published in Business Today of December 9, 2009 and which merits some comments for the benefit of the truth.
It is incredible how the GWU has for several times captured the headlines of the local news media, though this comes as no surprise considering that the GWU is a key player in domestic affaires.
Mr. Stagno-Navarra based the contents of the above mentioned article on a letter that John Monks, ETUC Secretary General, recently sent to local major trade unions inviting them to form a Trades Union Council. However, the interpretation Mr. Stagno-Navarra gave to the events is completely out of context, confusing and far from the truth so much so that his statements regarding John Monks’ letter, intentionally or not, are grossly misleading.
I want to point that Mr. Monks wrote to the unions out of his own free will and was neither inspired nor in any way influenced by the GWU to do so. Therefore it is untrue to state that the GWU tried to sideline any workers’ organisation whatsoever.
One has to remind that contrary to what Stagno-Navarra asserted, the first initiatives for the formation of a Maltese TUC did in fact originate well before 2006 when decades earlier the GWU pushed forward the idea to unite the Maltese trade union movement. Unfortunately, and for their own reasons, not all the trade unions did understand the necessity of that move towards workers’ unity.
The GWU still believes that the trade union movement should be united so much so that this is reflected in its efforts of November 2008, when, for the first time in the history of trade unionism in Malta, it did successfully bring together 20 trade unions into one common front in opposition to the high rise in water and electricity bills. This eventually led to the formation of the Association of Maltese Trade Unions in which 12 unions are actively participating and collaborating in the best interest of the workers they represent.
Moreover, the GWU is proud of its closeness to John Monks and the ETUC and it was through its friendship with the ETUC’s Secretary General that the latter took the initiative to come to our country in July 2004 in an effort to bring the trade unions closer together, and to urge the formation of a TUC, for which, talks proceeded under the guidance of Professor Edward Zammit.
One other fallacy implied in Stagno-Navarra’s article and which merits to be put right immediately is that, according to his sources, the move by the GWU and Forum to have John Monks write to them and also copy the CMTU, was an arranged attempt to mount pressure on MCESD and meanwhile sideline the UHM.
To say so, Mr Stagno-Navarra is either out of sync or grossly misinformed. Any professional journalist, including Mr. Stagno-Navarra, would certainly know that GWU is strong enough to have its voice heard and as such, surely does not need anyone’s assistance to mount pressure on MCESD to push forward its proposals. The GWU therefore categorically rejects what Stagno-Navarra and his sources tried to imply.
Finally, what certainly remains as a fact that cannot be denied is that in the current economic circumstances there is a necessity that workers be unified rather than divided, be it through a Trade Union Confederation or otherwise. Charles Vella
Media & Information Executive
General Workers Union
Editors note : While it is to be stated that nobody questions the GWU’s closeness to John Monks and the ETUC, it is odd to note however why the GWU opted to reply and omit any reference to John Bencini or the Forum of Maltese Unions who were specifically implicated in the mentioned report. It is also interesting to note how Mr. Bencini himself nor his Forum, chose to deny the contents of the article. It may be also added that it was more than obvious that the GWU would have denied such a report, as nobody expected the union to confirm or deny ‘confidentially discussed’ strategies..
