Malta Enterprise regrets the inconvenience caused to its clients as a result of the industrial action announced by the General Workers Union (GWU), whose members have been instructed not to answer telephone calls and emails, as well as not to carry out the document delivery service.
The Corporation remains committed towards providing the best possible service and will thus be working to try to minimise the disruption that may be caused.
Malta Enterprise questions the motives behind the GWU's decision to call the industrial actions shortly after the announcement that the executive chairman's mandate is about to come to an end, particularly when considering that the text of the new collective agreement had been agreed upon more than a month ago. The only pending issue was the financial aspect of the package, which however ultimately falls under the responsibility of the Collective Bargaining Unit within the Ministry of Finance, the Economy and Investment, rather than Malta Enterprise.
Such intentions are even more disappointing when one considers the better working conditions and opportunities which Malta Enterprise has been providing to its staff and management. Malta Enterprise remains committed to improve the salaries and conditions of all its workers, including the management levels and not just those employees covered by the collective agreement. In this regard, the Corporation has already made the necessary representations with the Ministry of Finance, the Economy and Investment and the Collective Bargaining Unit.
The GWU's action is clearly intended to disrupt the services given by the Corporation to its clients, most of which are businesses, investors and SMEs and hence its actions go directly against its own claim to assist in the generation of jobs and investment.