Negotiations with the Austrian Gama textile group, which was planning to employ 400 employees for its jeans production project in Malta, seem to have failed. Most of the company’s future employees were meant to be some of the 850 ex-Denim Services workers who were dismissed last November.
The Sunday Times reported that sources close to the finance sector said that the disagreement was over the funding of the project.
The Sunday Times said that Dieter Krestel, who is in charge of Gama's corporate communications, told The Times that the workforce and machinery found in Malta would fit best with the company's present and future activities and that among the reasons why Malta had been favoured was the experienced and highly professional workforce and the favourable logistics.
Meanwhile in a press release, the General Workers Union (GWU) said it would be doing its utmost for all parties to meet again so that the existing difficulties will be surmonted and the creation of these 400 new jobs will not be wasted.
The GWU reported that Secretary General Tony Zarb contacted the Prime Minister to voice the union’s concern on the failure of the negotiations and asked Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi to keep the GWU informed on any fresh developments.
Mr. Zarb appealed to the Prime Minister to search all routes possible to bring back together all the parties to go on with the discussions for an agreement to be reached which will finally create around 400 new jobs for the benefit of ex-Denim employees.
The GWU has also contacted Gama’s Chief Executive Officer, Manfred Baier in a move set to push forward all parties involved in the matter to come back to the table of discussions with the ultimate aim of resolving the impasse.
The GWU emphasized that when the Austrian Gama Textile Group showed its interest to invest in Malta, the union not only welcomed that news, but showed its commitment and was more than willing to meet with Gama Textile Group in order to vouch for the ex-Denim workers.
See also:
Austrian company to employ Denim Services employees
By MaltaMedia News - Dec 14, 2005, 17:45 CET
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