Monday, 28th April 2008 - 16:53CET
Muscat urges unions to form TUC
Joseph Muscat, one of the candidates running for the Labour Party's top post, has urged trade unions to start discussions on the setting up of a trades union council in the best interests of workers and the country.
During separate meetings with the General Workers' Union and the Union Haddiema Maghqudin, Dr Muscat expressed his wish that trade unions in Malta would unite in order that workers' representatives could have a common voice on various issues which directly affect them.
Dr Muscat said the time was right for discussions on the matter to start again so that workers could be united on important national issues.
On the matter, GWU general secretary Tony Zarb said his union had tried to set up this council and had even invited foreign guests such as John Monks, the General Secretary of the Trades Union Congress (TUC) in the UK between 1993 and 2003. He said the GWU was not blame that the TUC was not established.
On his part, UHM general secretary Gejtu Vella said the Confederation of Maltese Trade Unions (CMTU) already served as a TUC but the problem was that not all trade unions are affiliated with it. He also spoke about the attempt to agree on a social pact, saying the lack of one was "negative" for the country.
"It's like we have many good musicians but we cannot sit together to play one tune like a fully-fledged orchestra," he said.
During his meeting with the unions, Mr Muscat expressed his frustration that certain multinational companies that were investing in Malta were not treating their workers as they should be.
He also promised that if elected Labour leader, he would put pressure on the government to put an end to exploitation of workers.
RSS
Comments
Other workers were made to work nights without pay guarding Xandir Malta and other places armed and in uniform after a days work with one of the worker corps - That's exploitation.
Joseph Muscat was very young.... he has no fault .
It looks like he now has learned from other people's mistakes ...at least in words he says it and I think he means it.
He is encouraging creation of the Social Pact which failed because of the GWU.
Does he still classify GWU as deserving a special privilage by the MLP as was said by the previous leader or will he treat all unions equally and insist on a union to detach itself from any political party and work only in the interest of it's members?
Joseph Muscat has bright ideas which can ONLY work if he will be ready to LISTEN to (not just hear) what experienced people in the field of industrial relations have to offer.