Impromptu Early Morning Strike By Gozo Channel Workers Leaves Passengers Stuck And Waiting
Cover photo: Newsbook
Early morning Gozo Channel commuters on Monday found their extra efforts to get to work in time were all for naught as ferry workers had called an impromptu strike, leading to delays in trips between the islands.
Commuters who were hoping to catch the 7am ferry from Gozo were forced to wait for over an hour as the 7:30am ferry did not arrive either, Newsbook reported, making many Gozitan people who work in Malta late.
It was reported that the ferries leaving from Malta to Gozo were on schedule and had not been affected by the strike. The strike had not been announced on the Gozo Channel’s website or social media, catching many unawares.
‘Expect delays’ – Gozo Channel representative
A Gozo Channel representative that spoke to Lovin Malta said the schedule was occurring as normal and all ferries were set to accomplish their trips as planned – however, those trips “might be a little bit delayed” due to the strike.
This morning’s strike is reportedly a “go slow” strike, where ferry workers adopt methods to maximise the time the ferry workers take on land before departing. One such method would be ferries taking off without picking up any cars via its ramps, holding the car queue up indefinitely.
It was reported that the strike is being organised by workers that had been contracted for the job – they were demanding that their pay become equal to that of full-time Gozo Channel workers. In previous weeks, the U?M – a worker’s union – had given the go-ahead for the adoption of certain light directives, such as not tying the ship to pier.
People were not happy to find themselves stranded at the port without warning
Were you affected by this morning’s strike?
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