Jorma Karppinen, director of the European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions, visited Malta earlier this month. During his visit Mr Karppinen held separate meetings with government, trade union and employers' representatives.

The meeting with employers' representatives was held at the federation's premises in Floriana and was co-ordinated by FOI administration manager John B. Scicluna, who represents Malta's employers on the governing board of the foundation.

The meeting was open to the presidents and directors general of the main employers' organisations and, besides Mr Scicluna, was attended by Paul Abela, president of the Malta Chamber of Small & Medium Enterprises - GRTU, and Joseph Farrugia, director general of the Malta Employers' Association.

In the afternoon Mr Karppinen addressed a seminar during which he highlighted the findings of the foundation's Fourth European Working Conditions Survey. The seminar was aimed at the foundation's key stakeholders and, on the employers' side, was open to the board members of all the main employers' organisations.

Mr Karppinen was accompanied by deputy director Willy Buschak, research manager John Hurley, press officer Mans Martensson, and secretary Brid Nolan.