GEA industrial action begins, despite ‘positive progress’ to a resolution

Unite members at the Gibraltar Electricity Authority [GEA] commenced industrial action on Thursday, despite some “positive progress” in talks with the Gibraltar Government on Wednesday in a bid to resolve the dispute.

As from 7am on Thursday, the GEA’s distribution department took part in continuous “go slow” action due to what Unite says is a lack of progress on key issues regarding health and safety and terms of employment within the department.

The Union, which said it has major concerns regarding some of the working conditions within the department, warned that “action may also escalate”, pointing to Section 11 of the Gibraltar Health and Safety Regulations, which contains provisions which enables workers to halt their duties should they reasonably believe that they are at serious and imminent danger.

Both the Government and the Union said on Thursday that talks a day earlier made “positive progress”, although not enough to head off Thursday’s industrial action.

In a statement, the Government said it was “disappointed” with the union’s decision to press ahead despite the Government’s commitment to an independent review over Unite’s concerns.

“The Government is disappointed that despite the positive progress made during the meeting, Unite’s GEA membership has chosen to pursue industrial action and that Unite has now raised that there are a range of issues across GEA including pay,” No.6 Convent Place said in a statement.

“The Government’s priority is the health, safety and wellbeing of the workforce and, therefore, the GEA membership’s grievances regarding health and safety issues were discussed at length.”

“The Government gave assurances that all health and safety matters would be looked at and has committed to commissioning an independent review into current practices and procedures by external experts with sector-specific specialism.”

“The safety of GEA and all workers in Gibraltar is paramount, and the Government reiterates that it will never compromise on this for the sake of money, pay rises or for anything else.

“The Government will always make itself available to dialogue with GEA members of staff and therefore regrets the industrial action taken, which should only ever be a last resort option.”

But Stuart Davies, Unite’s national officer for Gibraltar, told the Chronicle on Thursday that there has not been “sufficient progress” to lift the industrial action.

Mr Davies said the Union reached out to the Government on May 29 and again on May 30 for talks, which ended up taking place on June 5.

Referring to the issue of pay, he added: “They [the Government] knew it was about more than health and safety.”

Unite has reassured the public that any emergencies during the industrial action will be attended to in a normal fashion.