The General Workers' Union marked its 65th anniversary yesterday by pledging to continue to work on important issues including immigrant workers, flexicurity, equality, minorities, data protection in the workplace, education and female participation and to further ensure that workers' families have a place within the union.

Speaking during a ceremony near the Workers' Monument in Msida, GWU general secretary Tony Zarb said that, although the challenges of 65 years ago had been overcome, there now existed new ones and it was still relevant for workers to join a union.

Mr Zarb said that while the union needed to keep in mind past achievements it must keep its eyes firmly on the future and the new challenges that will arise. Just as the union had been relevant for the past 65 years it would continue to be so in the future.

Speaking of working conditions, which the union had striven to improve over the years, Mr Zarb said that working conditions were still threatened if workers did not recognise the importance of unions.

The union, he said, would continue working to be a union for all the family and would be announcing schemes aimed at helping members improve their quality of life.

Mr Zarb acknowledged all those who "genuinely worked" in the GWU over the past 65 years, mentioning some of the past achievements of the union.