Updated: Arriva drivers who abandoned route suspended

Arriva has suspended a number of bus drivers who today abandoned their route to go to the General Workers Union and complain they were not getting their pay in full. The drivers earlier had a heated debate at the bus terminus during which they claimed that they were receiving between €50 and €200 less in their pay each month. Following this, some 40 to 50 drivers abandoned their route and went to the General Workers’ Union offices in Valletta. A union spokesman said the drivers were told that whenever there was a similar issue, they should tackle it step by step and start by making a claim, rather than abandon their route. The spokesman said it seemed that someone had put it in the drivers’ head that the union had tricked them and their pay was reduced as a result of the new collective agreement. However, the spokesman insisted this was not the case because the drivers were actually being paid more for fewer hours. After this incident, Arriva called the drivers for a meeting at the Floriana bus depot during which they were suspended.