Employers' associations receives backing on Brussels nomination issue

Two employer representatives are backing the Malta Employers' Association's claims that the government appointed the wrong person to represent their group on a Brussels-based civil society committee.

The Malta Chamber of Commerce, Enterprise and Industry and the Malta Hotels and Restaurants Association called on the government to address the situation that led to the MEA boycotting the national social dialogue platform.

The MEA is insisting the director general of the Chamber of Small and Medium Enterprises -GRTU, Vince Farrugia should not have been appointed to sit on the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) in the employers' representative category.

It says the GRTU is not an employer representative on the Malta Council for Economic and Social Development. Therefore, Mr Farrugia should not have been appointed as one of the two employer representatives on the EESC.

The legitimacy of the other appointee, Stefano Mallia, from the Chamber of Commerce, is not being contested.

Mr Farrugia yesterday insisted the GRTU was registered as an employer representative and accused the MEA, the MHRA and the Chamber of Commerce of "ignorance" of the workings of the EESC.

According to EESC guidelines, the Maltese appointees were to represent civil society. It was not up to the government to pigeonhole them as employer representatives or otherwise. This was decided by members themselves, he said, adding he believed he was fit for the role.

MEA decided to boycott the MCESD after accusing the government of acting undemocratically when it picked Mr Farrugia to sit on EESC.

On Monday night, the Chamber of Commerce and the MHRA met to discuss the "worrying situation" that jeopardised the efficiency of the MCESD they form part of.

In a joint statement yesterday, the two organisations pointed out that the EESC was made of three groups. The employers' group included entrepreneurs and representatives of associations supporting employers in industry, commerce and services.

The employees' group was made up of trade unions while the various interests group included small businesses and the crafts' sector.

"In this regard, both organisations feel that, given the interests represented by the GRTU, it would be well suited for the GRTU to have a representative in group three," they said, calling on the government to address the situation.

Public Dialogue Parliamentary Secretary Chris Said yesterday insisted the appointees were selected by the Cabinet according to the practice used in previous years.

The government had received three nominations - Lawrence Mizzi (MEA), Dr Mallia and Mr Farrugia - of whom two had to be selected.

Mr Farrugia reiterated that the GRTU was legally registered as an employers' association.

Quoting an EESC document, entitled Discover The EESC, he said: "National governments nominate candidates after consulting with civil society organisations in their countries, with members chosen to represent a broad range of interests... members themselves choose which of the EESC (three) groups they wish to join."

Meanwhile, Forum, a group of 11 unions, called for changes to the MCESD law to ensure no social partners were left out of it.

When Forum had battled for a seat on the MCESD, the GRTU had last month objected on grounds it would lead to an imbalance between union and employer representatives of which there were four each.

At the time, the GRTU had maintained it did not form part of the employer bloc on the MCESD and was there to represent self-employed and small business owners, Forum pointed out.