The General Workers (GWU) has sent letters to the Nationalist Party, the Labour Party as well as the Alternattiva Demokratika asking them to clarify their positions regarding precarious working conditions for G4S workers at Mater Dei Hospital.

The Union is requesting that clerks, security guards and parkers who are working at Mater Dei under a sub-contract, have the same rights and wages as the other governmental workers.

Various industrial actions have been taken at Mater Dei Hospital by the Union in the last days, with all directives were intended for all the workers concerned, Secretary General of the General Workers Union Tony Zarb said.

The Union has apologised to G4S, the company which the majority of the concerned workers fall under, as it adhered to the collective agreement however Government did not. GWU General Secretary Tony Zarb explained that regardless of the fact that these workers were employed by G4S they are currently working for the government so deserve the governmental wage. In addition, these workers report to employees who work for the government, he said.

GWU Secretary for the Professionals, Finance and Services Section Cory Greenland argued that the Government had accepted this principle in February 2012 and promised a new tender which would give workers the governmental salary, however this tender never saw the light of day.

A lack of clarity on the Government’s position implies that they are prepared to leave 300 workers under precarious conditions, he concluded.