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Unity on the union front as MOD workers face a new future
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by PANORAMA reporter
Unions are also entitled to strike against each other, it is presumed, which is what has been happening between the TGWU and the GGCA/Prospect, with no real prospect of peace judging by Friday's meeting at No. 6 Convent Place.
With the announcement on contractorisation tomorrow, there was a need for unity on the union front, and the Chief Minister did the right thing in getting the warring sides together.
A joint communique said the leadership of both sides wanted to make it absolutely clear that both unions support the in-house option, and that both unions are committed to opposing, by all available means, an award to a private contractor.
Having considered the options for quite some time, the MOD have now taken the decision and this will be made public tomorrow.
The armed forces minister Adam Ingram will be making a lightning visit today, and clearing off at the earliest tomorrow after dropping the bombshell.
In recent days there has been an air of optimism and great expectations that the in-house option will be selected, even though it is bound to be more expensive that contractorisation.
However, the MOD has elsewhere been going for contractorisation, so it remains to be confirmed what they go for in respect of Gibraltar.
The Friday meeting with the unions was at the Chief Minister's request to ensure the differences between the unions on other issues did not weaken or undermine the interests of Gibraltar in general, and MOD in particular, as regards the ISP contractorisation issue.
"We both stand, as we have always done, totally united on this issue, both as to implementation of the in-house option and in the execution and coordination of resistance to any contractorisation," said the two unions.
A point being made is that the choice of one thing or the other will present formidable challenges to the unions and the workforce, even though in different ways.
If a private deal is struck, the unions will end their private battle and declare war on the MOD. Where this would end nobody knows.
On the other hand, if an in-house choice wins the day, that will be the beginning of a dramatic change in work practices etc, which will need to be accepted and implemented to ensure the savings target is met.
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