The Forum group of trade unions has changed its mind on participation in the Malta-EU Steering Action Committee but still has the Malta Council for Economic and Social Development in its sight.

Forum general secretary Paul Pace confirmed that the grouping of 11 trade unions had accepted to join other unions and confederations in the Meusac after initially refusing to accept the invitation. However, he dismissed the idea that this was “in any way a U-turn” because the group had decided to join “at its own pace”.

“Meusac and the MCESD are two totally different bodies. (Parliamentary Secretary) Chris Said is under the false impression that because he offered us one, we were going to give up the other. Meusac was always secondary in our list of priorities. MCESD remains in top priority,” Mr Pace said.

As things stood today, he said, without the input of the Malta Union of Nurses, the Malta Union of Teachers and the University of Malta Academic Staff Association, the MCESD could not discuss health or education in a holistic manner.

He referred to the Private Member’s Bill presented in Parliament last week by Labour MP Gino Cauchi calling for an amendment to the MCESD law to allow the Forum to join.

Mr Cauchi argued that the legislation setting up the MCESD, enacted in 2001, provided that there should be fair and balanced representation of employers and unions but this was not the case and the workers were under-represented.

Mr Pace said the Forum was planning to assemble its members outside Parliament on the day the motion was debated and voted upon “so that we can see who will be voting against these workers”.