GWU calls for bonus to mitigate power surcharge

The GWU today called on the government to grant a one-time bonus of €58.23 in December to make up for the 95 percent surcharge on electricity and water.

Union general secretary Tony Zarb told a press conference that the union was also calling for a widening of the income tax bands and credits for those who had a small income and did not pay income tax.

Furthermore, the union was calling for a revision of the national minimum wage and the minimum pension, and a revision of students' stipends in line with the Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA).

Mr Zarb stressed that COLA needed to be calculated on the latest household budgetary survey to better reflect what families were experiencing.

In other proposals, the union is calling for more funding for local council and renewed effort to reduce bureaucracy and compliance costs which were hindering SMEs.

The union is also urging the government to encourage more women to join the gainfully occupied population.

There should also be a stronger clamp-down on the exploitation of workers.