Saturday, 8th November 2008
Social partners shun Labour protest
The social partners will not attend Labour's "national manifestation" against the new water and electricity rates tomorrow because they perceive it as a partisan event.
Representatives of the social partners said that, although they do not approve of the government's tariffs, they did not want to be seen to be taking political sides on this subject, which was of national interest. Many said they feel demonstrations will not solve anything.
On announcing the demonstration last week, Labour leader Joseph Muscat stressed that the "national manifestation of courage" was not a party but a national activity. He encouraged people of all beliefs to stand up against the tariffs by joining the event tomorrow at 3.30 p.m. in Valletta.
The General Workers' Union, considered by many to be a Labour traditional ally, will be attending. The union even called a protest of its own for Thursday.
Alternattiva Demokratika will be shunning the protest. A party spokesman, Ralph Cassar, said the Green party would have taken part, as a sign of support, had the demonstration been organised by the social partners but it will not attend, given that the protest will be led by a party and a specific union.
The general secretary of the Union Ħaddiema Magħqudin, Gejtu Vella, said his union prides itself on its independence and will not attend political demonstrations.
Asked whether the union will turn up for the GWU protest on Thursday (also against the tariffs), he said this will be decided during a council meeting next week.
Similarly, the Malta Employers' Association's director general, Joe Farrugia, said he did not believe that such demonstrations will solve the situation, adding that the fact that the MEA will not participate did not mean it endorsed the tariffs.
The director general of the Chamber of Small and Medium Enterprises - GRTU, Vince Farrugia, said the GRTU will not be attending the manifestations because it was its policy not to take part in political manifestations. The tariffs were "not the end of the road", he said, pointing out that he was determined to find solutions with the government to assist enterprise.
The president of the Federation of Industry, Martin Galea, and the Chamber of Commerce and Enterprise's director general Kevin Borg said attending such manifestations was not their policy.
"The Chamber consistently refuses to be dragged into the political arena where, by definition, national issues cannot be discussed in a fair and objective manner," Mr Borg said.
William Portelli, president of the Confederation of Malta Trade Unions and the Malta Union of Bank Employees, said both organisations will not take part in the MLP's political event. The GWU's invitation to Thursday's protest will be discussed next week.
The president of the Malta Union of Teachers, John Bencini, and the president of the Malta Union of Midwives and Nurses, Paul Pace, both said attending political manifestations went against their statutes. Their councils still have to decide whether to attend the GWU event.
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Comments
Give over Gejtu.
@ C. Sapiano..."..Good move by the social partners... This protest was a labour meeting..."
Mr. Sapiano, i assure you it wasn`t political AT ALL, if that`s what you mean... However, are you then implying that the Social Partners OUGHT to organize a protest THEMSELVES as well....!!!! You know, in 1998, the UHM & Friends, organized a general strike on the same subject of higher water and electricity bills....!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
In that case I AM WITH YOU 100% Sir, as i have already suggested it on another blog...!!!
Good luck Mr. Sapiano... Hope you succeed in convincing them...!!!
Do you read the news.. the current interest rate by the european central bank is 3.25% not 3.75%. there were 2 cuts in less than a month.
what he was meaning is that interest rates have been reduced yet the 2nd time round! And it is true not all banks reduced their base rate to 3.75% the 1st time round
'Iz-zejt tiela' f'wicc l-ilma'...........the same words go to the CMTU / MUBE president!!!
What a Shame!! I call this betrayal to say the least!
When you consider the price these boys paid, the cost of electricity fades into insignificance.
If only everyone understood the irony of it all.
Truly you do not take part in political activities. It all depends on the cicumstances.
You should have taken the inititive and every body would have followed you.
If you don't want to take sides just abandon politics. All impositions by government are politics. If you criticise you are taking sides.
@. FOI, MEA, GRTU, CMTU, MUBE, MUT, MUMN, UHM & THE LIKES.....
So you ALL declared that you are not taking part in today`s Manifestation against the SUPER HUGE Water & Electricity Tariffs etc.., BECAUSE it is being organized by a political party, The MALTA LABOUR PARTY... OR is it because you are afraid of hurting DADDY GonziPN Government......!!??!!??!! Haaa... Haaa... Haaa... What a funny joke.....
First of all..... WELL DONE MALTA LABOUR PARTY...
Secondly...... SHAME ON YOU ALL ABOVE.
FINALLY.........IF YOU REALLY MEANT WHAT YOU SAID ALL THESE DAYS, I CHALLENGE YOU ALL TO ORGANIZE A.. PROTEST / MANIFESTATION.. YOURSELVES......!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Come on Guys, lets not CHICKEN out now......
SEE YOU ALL AT THE PROTEST / MANIFESTATION.....
You don't remember the 'balavostri' falling in the early eighties in Zebbug, do you?
There are NONE..= GRTU +UHM + CMTU + MUT + MUMN = PN
As to the Chamber and FOI well.. its just a medley of personal interests. Tabone Toledo. Galea Salamone Farrugia ... hahaha what a joke.
Since they seem to be happy with the new tarriffs (their loss will be at the expense of others) I sincerely hope they will reap what they sow. A word of caution - MLP should keep in mind who is indirectly supporting this government's disastrous administration.
L.Galea the period you recalled is in fact the 1958 riots where Mintoff had a bitter battle with DeGray. 28th April. During the 1960s The political parties did not fight they resolved their differences in Parliament. One has to acknowledge that Mintoff still had problems with the church.
USA on Nov 4th 2008, and learn from it. Take your country back. Stop letting the good old boys network keep running your lives.
By the Way, what concrete proposals come up the MLP about our Financial Situation? tiftakruwa ta l-izvalutar tal-lira b'10%? I think the MLP has an apology to do here...
The shame is on the Government for burdening the people for its incompetence.
The social partners have shown what they are. Chickens who do not really care about the people and their members.
Have a look at my post at http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20081108/local/action-plan-to-focus-attention-on-energy-efficiency to see the increases that the people will have to pay to make good for your Gonzipn incompetent Government.
Well we all know that these social partners are 'independent' from political parties!!
Let's see whether they accept the invitation by GWU for their manifestation. It's a test to all those who said that they will not participate in tomorrow's protest since it's organised by a political party and not by a fellow social partner.
Who are the EU countries which have put "money in people's pockets?? Boooq!! Ireland?? No they introduced a-lot of new taxes in the last budget!! Than who??
"aaaah yes the UK silly!! They reduced the interest rates on Bank loans" so the MLP will reduce the interest rate!! Ha Ha money in OUR pockets!!!
OOOhh!! The interest rates in Malta are not increased or decreased by the Govt. but by the ECB since we're in the Eurozone (Good morning!!!) and they HAVE been reduced two weeks ago by a 0.5% which has already been passed on the customer!!!
No wonder the Social partners don't want to go to this "manifestation"!! It is being organised by the same party which for twenty long years has never been able to come up with one proper and serious alternative!!
Plus ca change!!!!!!! Plus le meme chose!!
Just a few comments that says it all ; Shame on you all for not attending tomorrow.You are being partisan not the Malta Labour Party. I just hope you will get what you deserve
So they are keeping their mouths shut. Do you think that what you are doing ,you are representing your members? What about the MCSD meeting,the way the government deceived you. Are you going to keep on doing nothing? Besides the GWU the only union who is speaking is the GRTU. .I am very disappointed in all of you and i am sure that your members feel the same way.
SHAME on all the Social partners, Bla BLa Bla, Isthu min nies jekk Tafu.
@ l. Galea
Social Partners realise and know that the real world out there is not black and white as the MLP want us to believe. There is more to meet the eye.
simple..........Ad can only hope of getting votes from disgruntled Nationalists who though angry with the govt. are still reluctant to vote Labour, people who see nothing much in this "new" Joseph!! Thats why AD failed in the last election; they continously attacked the PN and yet depended on its voters for their own survival!!!!!!!
Conspiracy theories???.....I doubt it
Its not the numbers but the representation.
The other social partners who are not going to attend are chickens because they attend activities organized by the PN.
Charles Camilleri
What about the sixties when we had the PN Governments and no meetings or demonstrations could be held in Floriana and Valletta?
What about the cavalry charging Labour supporters and police in full battle gear breaking truncheons on Labour supporters heads?
What about the moral and practical violence where if you were a labour supporter you had not chance of employment with red marks next to your name even if you only had someone else in the family who supported Labour?
You wish to rewrite history, but you will never succeed.
AD called also for a national protest on the tariffs if I remember well
May i remind all these independent social partners that not so long ago they all participated and showed their faces in a united front with 2 political parties in their campaign in favour of Malta's joining the EU. I fully supported their action on that occasion because I thought that finally social partners are learning to look at issues with an open mind, but unfortunately 4 years later the social partners are back to square one, finding excuses and clauses in their statues to stay away.
I think that after we’ve heard so much against the new utility tariffs from the social partners it is very childish of them to try and justify their absence by using such an excuse.
So in your opinion what/how/who will highlight to government that his impositions are a further burden on the middle and lower classes and that these will cause serious problems to Malta in general? So government is bulldozing ahead, unions are choosing not to voice their disdain..who remains? US...and the only bodies that are opting to voice our troubles are MLP and GWU.
These are all excuses.
What about the UHM. In 1998 they went on strike. What are they going to do now?
Simply not taking part as was said by some "social partners" because the manifestation is being organized by a political party shows not only the inconsistency of those who are saying this, but hypocrisy of the highest level when one remembers that they not only attended but also took a stand at political meetings organized by the PN in favour of eu membership which is one of the causes or rather the major source of the hardships that we are going through.
Hypocrisy galore is at its peak at the moment
What will be missing are a dozen representatives who decided not to attend. Everyone else is free to go.
However, as some stated, all the manifestation is for, is more publicity for Joseph since nothing of benefit will come out of it. One cannot hold these 'manifestations' every time a government does something which does not please the taxpayer especially in times of international crisis which trhe world is passing through at this moment.
Patriotism is not just waving the national flag and throwing insults at governments. Patriotism is shouldering a national burden which at times seems a bit heavier than normal.
This is such a time.
Doesn't Dr.Mangion know that our banks have already reduced interests?? If he'd like I'll be more than happy to show him my last payment on my mortagage!!
Protest ,by all means, but come up with concrete proposals not ones which insult everybody's intelligence! Way to go Joseph!! Way to go!!!!!!!!
Dr J. Muscat should be building his image as a statesman with the whole electorate and promoting a vision of change not pandering to the old guard and the grass roots and thus provide well worn out set pieces which will advance the MLP cause not one single iota.
Indeed he risks the Palin syndrome of galvinising the diehards at the expense of alienating those who are currently just out of embracing reach of the MLP.
As regards the GWU manifestation it is even more ridiculous coming just two days after the MLP one. Tony Zarb is the veteran of two previous disastrous demonstrations, and whilst he may think now is the opportune time to rally the workers I am afraid this one will complete this permanent legacy of ineffectiveness.
@ AD - Not joining a manifestation because it is organised by another political party is absolutely childish. However I surely believe that you would join another political party to run the country !! You would form a coalition government with MLP if you could hux??
A national issue is a NATIONAL ISSUE and everyone must attend the manifestation irrespective of who is organising it. Forget the partisan politics which don't do any good and start thinking about real politics.