Wednesday, 1st July 2009 - 10:59CET

Council withdraws controversial tender condition - GWU welcomes decision

The Malta Council for Culture and the Arts has withdrawn a call for quotations for security services for the Jazz Festival after the GWU protested over a cap of €6 per hour. The union said this cap was too low and could encourage workers' exploitation.

"It is not the policy of the Malta Council for Culture and the Arts to put ceilings on any quotation or tender. A fresh call for quotations for security services will be issued," the council said.

"We thank the GWU for pointing out what was a simple error. It must be said, however, that similar quotations, very recently awarded, amounted to €5.50 per hour including VAT, for carnival 2009, and €5.64 per hour including VAT for Ghana Fest.

The GWU in a statement welcomed the decision to drop the call for quotations and issue a fresh one.

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Comments

Silvan Cutajar (on 1/7/09)

Can the council spokesperson explain how for Carnival employees got paid proper wages. 5.50 Euro less VAT is 4.67. Minimum wage per hour is around 3.65. That leaves 1 euro for uniforms, bonuses, sick, leave, profits of company, insurances licenses, back office, supervisors and base support, and what not. So if for carnival security firms did this job for 5.50, they should also be investigated if authorities do their jobs!

Malcolm Farrugia (on 1/7/09)

@Phillip B Cortis,
I used to work for a security firm, basically i was employed as a part-time security agent. But when i recieved my roster i worked more than 40 hrs per week at a pay of Euro 3.65 an hour. These companies give use part-time conditions, but pretend that employees are always available for work, even if one is off and is saked to go to a particular site.

Philip B Cortis (on 1/7/09)

Why don’t put a clause that will state that the persons employed are given the full right in terms of leave, sick leave etc. Hence, if such are passed to the people that worked in the tender awarded for €5.5 inc VAT, and without accounting for the overheads and profits for the company, then at best, the security personnel was paid €3.766 (Lm1.616) per hour, but of cause, profits are to be done and some overheads had to be accounted for so I ask, how much were the security personnel actually paid? Were they given their basic rights or where they treated like objects?

If I understood right, The Malta Council For Culture and Arts is a government body. If the legal infrastructure to stop such don’t exists, then dear MP’s, please set some priorities cause I personally think that such is more important than the City Gate project (although it’s a positive thing that the city is regenerated). I think John Dalli already spoke about this.

J Xerri (on 1/7/09)

Dear tenderers :We are not including the 6 euro capping in our fresh call for tenders but of course you have a good hint of what we expect from you.