Union talks dent bus shake-up hopes

Commuters may have to wait longer for sweeping improvements to the bus service as talks over a new collective agreement, which the operator claims could have a major bearing on the level of operations, start from scratch. Union Ħaddiema Maqgħudin general secretary Josef Vella yesterday said that Malta Public Transport (MTP) is expected to grant the union official recognition in the coming days. During a meeting held on Friday in the presence of the Director of Employment, the UĦM submitted a formal request to represent the employees after the General Workers’ Union unexpectedly conceded defeat at the end of a lengthy recognition dispute. “We sent the company the requested paperwork immediately after the talks, and we expect a formal decision in a few days’ time,” Mr Vella said. “Unless the GWU had entered into formal commitments on behalf of the employees, talks on a new collective agreement need to start afresh,” he added. Despite expanding its fleet and rolling out new routes, Spanish transport company Autobuses de Leon, which last January took over MTP, is still encountering problems especially on routes in tourist areas where the bus service cannot cope with demand. In an...