Updated: Forum insists for place on MCESD
(Adds government statement)
The Forum Unions Malta will be continuing with its campaign for a seat on the Malta Council for Economic and Social Development until the eve of the election if necessary.
Addressing a news conference this afternoon, Paul Pace and John Bencini said the Forum was asking the government to take a decision about whether it should be allowed on the council and not pass the buck to the social partners
“We do not want anyone to give up their place. All that needs to be done is that the government increases its seats by one, bringing the number up to five, employers will have five members and unions will have another five members,” they said.
Mr Pace and Mr Bencini said that the MCESD was unbalanced because employers had five seats against the unions’ four. Another problem was that the CMTU, which only represented 2,800 members, was on the council, but the Forum, which represented 12,000 members, was not.
It was pointed out that when the Federation of Industries and the Chamber of Commerce merged, there was no need for any unanimity or consensus to decide what would happen to their seats and although they were now one organisation they still had two seats.
The Forum said it was going to continue its campaign for inclusion in the MCESD until the eve of the election if necessary.
This was because it believed that anyone who wanted to contribute should be allowed to do so, especially a group of unions which represented the education, health and tourism sectors.
They Forum said its members would continue discussing all the issues discussed in the MCESD and would organise press conferences right outside the council building if necessary.
They criticised Vince Farrugia for not wanting them on board for a reason they said they could not understand but said his objections should not be the reason the government did not accept them.
GOVERNMENT'S REPLY
In a statement, the government said that last Friday it had proposed that the Forum’s request be discussed in an MCESD core group.
This was following a meeting between Parliamentary Secretary Chris Said and Forum president John Bencini.
During the meeting, Dr Said expressed the government’s position in favour of the Forum’s request if there was agreement between the social partners and the council.
He also proposed that Dr Bencini should meet the other social partners to convince them of his request.
Dr Said made it clear that he was willing to suggest the Forum’s request to be discussed in the council, as he had actually done. However, the proposal was not accepted by the constituted bodies and that was why the core group was not set up.
Dr Said insisted that the government could not impose a change in the council’s composition because this had been set up on consensus between the represented partners. So every change had to reflect this consensus.
Popular Stories
Update 3: Woman found dead in car,...
Updated: Woman dies in car crash
Carm Mifsud Bonnici resigns after...
Part of Dwejra 'Azure window' collapses
The end of the bar that ‘never closed’
Bundy does not know whether to...
Updated - Jason Micallef demands...
This WAS the night - Kurt makes it...
'No need for early election if PM's...
In Discussion
Updated - Jason Micallef demands...
Gozo tunnel could take 5-7 years to...
CABS remote controlled aircraft shot...
Carm Mifsud Bonnici resigns after...
Joseph Calleja condemns portrayal of...
Updated: Labour would give...
CABS drone shot down
Second group of migrants arrives
Adrian Vassallo in scathing...
11 Comments
Post comment
Please sign in or create your Account to post comments.
A.Grech
Jun 19th 2010, 10:48
Forum insists for place on MCESD.
BI DRITT U MHUX BI PJACIR
A. Vassallo
Jun 19th 2010, 15:54
Minn fejn johrog dan id-DRITT li qieghed issemmi?
Is-Sur Bencini issa qieghed jiddispjacih li telaq lis-CMTU ghaliex b'hekk telaq ukoll is-siggu li huwa stess kien ipoggi fuqu fl-MCESD. Ma rnexxilux isir l-ewwel president tat-TUC Malta u issa irid lura dan is-siggu. It-TEACHERS x'jahsbu minn dan kollu?
J Borg
Jun 19th 2010, 07:38
I see two problems here (i) Government is not at the end of the day acknowledging *in practice* that FORUM members should be indeed represented and (ii) the other stakeholders on MCESD are selfishly ignoring FORUM's right to contribute to discussions and decisions taken at MCESD level. It is perhaps about time that FORUM instructs its numerous members to collectively take a number of industrial actions to even make the other MCESD stakeholders that their very own existence and daily operations do depend on FORUM members. Maybe that will make them realize that FORUM members do after all contribute to Malta's social & economic activities !!!
C.camilleri
Jun 18th 2010, 22:35
Why is it so hard for the government to accept the FORUM in the MCESD?
The more ideas the better. FORUM represent more than 10 unions and it is interesting for one to know what their members think about being left out in the cold.
Steve Demicoli
Jun 18th 2010, 20:35
5 employers' organizations and 4 employees' organizations.
Does this mean that employers are more important / valued than employees in this country?
A. Vassallo
Jun 18th 2010, 20:29
@ John Bencini
What happened to the Malta Union of Teachers of which once you were the President? Are you still the President of MUT?
Since you and your MUT abondoned your allegiance with the Confederation of Malta Trade Unions (of which you were also its President and in which the MUT had a very central function), the Malta Union of Teachers does not feature anywhere anymore, as if it does not exist. (Teachers pleaase notice)
Now you are always seen as the main spokesperson for the FORUM. Now if, and only if, Forum manages to obtain a seat in the MCESD, will it be you attending the MCESD meetings, will it be Paul Pace from the MUMN, will it be anyone from the other miniature unions or will you rotate the chair between you?
Very interesting to see what will come out of all this.
J Micallef
Jun 18th 2010, 19:01
It is completely untrue that there was consensus between ALL social partners - there were many registered trade unions at the time of formation of MCESD that were not even consulted let alone asked for consensus. Many of these trade unions - including MUMN - are still out of the MCESD. Moreover the consensus argument is just another lame government excuse because the law governing MCESD setup is legislated in parliament by the politicians not by trade unionists and for it to be changed it has to be changed in parliament. This apart from the fact that along the years there were a number of changes in the MCESD setup which the Government never asked for consensus about. Also it is the Government's duty to ensure that all its workforce is represented and it cannot continue to shirk this responsibility onto others.
J Busuttil
Jun 18th 2010, 18:09
So the Forum wants the Govt to impose their membership on the other social partners. It must be recalled that the present membership was established after agreement by all social partners. When the Govt imposes something they say the Govt is arrogant. Is that what Dorum wants?
Matthew Montebello
Jun 18th 2010, 20:30
What is imposed? Justice and democracy? Aren't all the union members with the union that make the FOR.U.M. also Maltese workers? Are they second class workers? The government should invite the FOR.U.M. to form part of the MCESD as only benefits can come out of comprehensive membership.
J. Schembri
Jun 18th 2010, 17:52
These guys look like the parish council, where the same twenty persons attend various groups . One gets the impression that there is high activity in the religious groups , reality is different because pensioner Joseph attends the Romol group , the bible group and is active in the Karismatici , while Mary is in the fund raising group , Nejokatakuminali and Romol also , Edward is in Zak , the fund raising group and sometimes attends the bible group.Who are they representing as members of the parish council? MCESD's members should first state who are their paying members , and wether their claims of membership are realistic.
George Borg
Jun 18th 2010, 17:42
We've got enough union power, thank you very much. Unions distort free market movements and the price mechanism. We have enough distortions already. It's time that Malta starts adjusting more flexibly to economic conditions.