Two important topics resurfaced on the national agenda in the wake of the government's decision to raise the water and energy rates: the usefulness, or otherwise, of the Malta Council for Economic and Social Development and the possibility of setting up a trades union council. Both deserve serious consideration but what made most impact perhaps was the idea of forming a TUC, a matter that has been discussed, off and on, for years on end but which, unfortunately, never took off, mainly because of strong inter-trade union rivalry. Is there any prospect of the unions making headway in this direction this time? The indications do not look good at all, at least up to now.

The initiative was this time taken by the Malta Union of Teachers, which was no doubt encouraged to do so by the enthusiasm shown by the unions, including the two largest, when they mounted a common front and held a protest in Valletta against the government over the tariffs. Both the unions and the other social partners in the MCESD were displeased by the "disparaging" manner in which they were treated by the government. This was an ironic twist of the first order when considering that the party in government had made dialogue one of its strongest political platforms. If not disparaging, the government's attitude was certainly out of character.

The MUT believed "there is enough common ground" for the formation of a trades union council but in no time its move landed it into a spat with the Confederation of Trade Unions. The Union Ħaddiema Magħqudin did not consider the proposal as a priority as it was more concerned at present to seeing to the conclusion of the talks over the water and energy rates. On its part, the General Workers' Union is said to have been enthusiastic about the idea. Others might have shared its feelings before the quarrel between the MUT and CMTU but those who have followed the development of trade unions over the years will no doubt be far more prudent in their assessment of the prospects.

Would all the unions within the confederation be able to forget any rivalries that may still exist among them and work collectively within a TUC? One other obstacle may very well be the GWU's close relations with the Labour Party. If the council were to be set up, would it be prepared to work together with the other unions all the time, not just when the MLP is in opposition? A former GWU official believes that, as long as the major trade unions, or some of them, remain under the present leadership, there is no hope of forming a TUC. He sounds far from confident of the prospects.

As to the MCESD, the government would not have fractured its reputation as a strong believer in dialogue and consultation had it continued to thrash the issue over the water and energy rates within the council. The council might not have measured up to the people's expectations but the social partners have kept it going, showing that there is still scope for them to meet and discuss economic and social problems. Although the council is not an executive body and it is the government that makes decisions, it was wrong on the government's part to treat it in what the social partners described as an unacceptable manner. The government needs to retrace its steps and reinstate, in practice, its belief in the value of the MCESD.