Tony Zarb

Work

Tony Zarb worked as cutting operator at the Blue Bell jeans factory in the 1980s in Malta, when he joined the General Workers' Union (GWU) 1981. He would rose through the ranks and later would take over the union's port & transport section. In October 1998 he was appointed as secretary-general and took the office in January 1999. He would hold this post for 16 years until October 2015, when he resigned from his office. During his tenure, he oversaw the Issa Daqshekk campaign, a mass protest against the government which aimed to force it to reduce its plans to increase the tax burden on the population. One of his main goals was to improve the general working conditions, including foreign workers who were paid little and worked in miserable conditions. He fought against the privatisation of the Maltese ports and the liquidation of Malta's national shipping company Sea Malta. He opposed the entry of Malta into the European Union, which led to considerable criticism against the union, especially from left-wing circles. For his accomplishments he received the Ġieħ ir-Repubblika, which is the country's highest honour bestowed by the government of Malta.

After his resignation, he entered government service as part-time consultant for the Maltese Office of the Prime Minister (OPM).