The Government has noted Unite the Union’s declaration of an industrial dispute with the Gibraltar Port Authority (GPA).

The GPA, as an employer, is required at all times to act in accordance with the law, the relevant Collective Agreement and established employment procedures. The Minister for Health, Care and Business, who also has responsibility for the Port Authority, the Hon Gemma Arias-Vasquez, has sought and received assurances that the Authority considers that this has been the case.

The Government categorically rejects the suggestion that this matter in any way constitutes a redundancy. Any assertion to that effect is incorrect and risks causing unnecessary concern among the workforce.

The Government is concerned that Unite’s public statement relies on a selective reading of the Collective Agreement. The agreement must be considered in its entirety and in its proper legal and operational context. To do otherwise risks creating a misleading impression of both the Authority’s obligations and the position in respect of this matter.

As Unite the Union and the public will appreciate, issues relating to an individual employee’s retirement are subject to legal and data protection constraints. Although it would be beneficial to the Government to do so, it would be inappropriate to comment on personal circumstances in the public domain. What can be made clear is that there has been no attempt to circumvent established procedures or to undermine collective bargaining arrangements. There has also, definitely, not been any redundancy.

This Government remains fully committed to collective bargaining, to meaningful engagement with recognised unions and to the principle that public sector employees must be treated fairly, transparently and with respect. That is the approach that has been consistently applied across all departments and all negotiations.