200 Carlo Gavazzi workers on four-day week

Chris Grillo

Mar 21st 2009, 07:59

@aborg.
Mr.Borg, maybe we are still standing because of the fact that we produce highly researched and cutting-edge technology in the industrial sector that many companies appreciate!

ALL our products are for export, and the last time I checked, the global economic situation was catastrophic to say the least.

You mentioned there were times when the employees were sent on leave. I would also like to point out that there were also other times(a great many) when we could not go home to rest, and the production operators would complain because of all the overtime they had.
Such is the fickle state of a fast-moving market. It goes without saying that THAT piece of information above never made it to the papers...

I am not a member of management, or a shareholder or union member... just a long-time employee who loves his job and cannot understand all this senseless bashing.

aborg

Mar 19th 2009, 14:52

As far as I know Gavazzi has been going from bad to worse long before the financial crises. It's previous Maltese Director was a disaster who led the company from a flourshing success to a Mud Slide. In 2007 they sent the production employees away on forced leave and they did so again in 2008.... it actually surprises me how the company is standing.

jcmicallef

Mar 18th 2009, 10:41

Hon. Tonio Fenech, Alan Camilleri.....did I hear a knock on your door?

Seriously, though, are we sure that all these organisations are actually reacting to the markets? Or is it simply a problem of organisations that are unable to control their costs and increase efficiency?

A few years ago a manufacturing concern made a gross mistake in investing heavily in staff and machinery when it had absolutely no certainly of any increase in work. This was way before the world crisis really caught up.

So I ask myself (and others!) are these preoblems perhaps coming instead from past mistakes? I had the occasion to see the collective agreements of a few foreign owned factories and the average wage way exceeded that of other local concerns.

We tend to milk the cow dry, and this is what happens then.

P.Schembri

Mar 17th 2009, 17:50

What is not beings said about Trelleborg and maybe the others, is that the workers will get 5% less in their paypacket. This means that they'll be working a five-day week but being paid for a four-day week. How's that for justice? Is the investment coming off the workers' back? Will someone please enlighten us?

Alfred Farrugia

Mar 17th 2009, 17:36

If we do not already have the same kind of services as provided by the U.S. Small Business Administration, including its Financial Assistance programme, perhaps it is time for Malta Enterprise or the Ministry concerned to look into the matter.

Instead of “disaster assistance loans,” we could have “special assistance loans” to cover the current economic situation.

http://www.sba.gov/services/financialassistance/index.html

http://www.sba.gov/recovery/index.html

Small and large businesses around the world are having problems, and the appropriate support is needed in Malta as well, if we do not wish that things get much worse before they get better. Our workers deserve every support.

The authorities concerned have all the mechanisms to check that requests are genuine. The import bill alone is a good proxy for demand, since our export industries and manufacturers import practically all the raw materials needed.

dusty williams

Mar 17th 2009, 16:35

Noel Calleja

No its because we dont expect these things to happen after all the promises and we're not in recession blah blah blah.

and who told you we are beaming with glee, did you forget when the Great EFA went to Germany to tell them, the Germans not to innvest here in Malta? here im mentioning your partys favourite decade, the 80s. The decade you use sooo much to remind us the terrible times we had to go through. Did they ever tell you that? KEMM GHAMILTU PRASPAR INTOM.

N.Calleja

Mar 17th 2009, 16:05

As in all other instances, Labour supporters are beaming with glee because another factory is in difficulty! Super One had this item as main news this afternoon! Then they even moan because the government is helping those effected with such a situation. Oqbra mbajda! Who said they have changed? Yes to the worse!

L..Galea

Mar 17th 2009, 15:18

J Martinelli
how about you paying for it since you seem to be living well-off in far-away Canada and is not the least affected by whatever your beloved Gonezipn does in Malta?

If you think we are living in Nirvana why don't you come to live in Malta Martinelli?

dusty williams

Mar 17th 2009, 15:01

J Martinelli

Gonzi said 'ghandna l finanzi fis-sod', so now is the time to act, I suggest. Why should i give something from my monthly salary, as if we dont pay enough. Hallina xbin!

.. and keep your idea of 'Recession Insurance' I dont like it. No Thank You.

John Camilleri

Mar 17th 2009, 14:56

That's the way industrialists should do it! Then the government will give them our [the taxpayer's] millions to stay. It's all a makebeleive farce!

effie carbonaro

Mar 17th 2009, 14:38

there is no recession in malta

Stephen Spiteri

Mar 17th 2009, 14:37

Tonio Fenech and Gonzi remind me of the little Dutch boy next to the dyke - putting their finger in the leak , only for another one to spring out. Not their fault, but obviously, the way we are going, we're going to end up with the government subsidizing the entire economy.

And please, let's not make a political issue out of this.

J Martinelli

Mar 17th 2009, 14:10

@ Ludwig Flask & Dusty Williams

Instead of snide remarks, how about urging the Minister to set up 'Recession Insurance' and charge every worker across the board a monthly premium, deducted from pay and sent directly to the government, so that in case of a recession, the government will pay the difference between the unemployment benefit and their regular pay.

Of course, you would be the first ones who will label this insurance premium as 'another tax grab'!

When the whole world suffers from the ravages of a recession, Malta would be the only country which does not really care since its workers will not notice any difference in their pockets.

Silly notion you say? So are your comments.

Ludwig Flask

Mar 17th 2009, 13:49

And what about help to family owned businesses, self employed, small and medium setups? Even these deserve their share!

dusty williams

Mar 17th 2009, 13:30

Ejja Ministru halli anke lil dawn nergaw naghtuwhom lura dik il gurnata li tnaqqsitilhom.

Heqq mhux lil Methode biss u?