The Forum group of trade unions has written to the government requesting a seat on the Employment Relations Board while keeping up its pressure to join the Malta Council for ­Economic and Social Development.

In its letter, Forum said that as a confederation of trade unions representing around 12,000 workers, it expected the government to take all measures possible to include it on this board.

The board analyses EU directives affecting employment and discusses their transposition into Maltese law.

The letter to Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi follows one sent to Employment and Industrial Relations director Noel Vella, who had informed Forum that the composition of the board was established by law, through the 2002 Employment and Industrial Relations Act.

The present members on this board are representatives of the Confederation of Malta Trade Unions, the Union Ħaddiema Magħqudin and the General Workers’ Union representing employees; and the Malta Employers’ Association, the Chamber for Small and Medium Enterprises – GRTU and the Malta Hotels and Restaurants Association representing employers.

There are also members appointed by the Social Policy Ministry.

The board is chaired by Edward Zammit.

Forum general secretary Paul Pace expressed satisfaction at the government’s recent “positive step” when it wrote to the MCESD social partners over the pending issue of Forum’s request to join the council. This recent development “augurs a happy ending to the issue”, he said.

Forum has been insisting on having a seat on the MCESD for at least a year, with the government insisting that a consensus was needed for it to join and social partners throwing the ball back into the government’s court saying the inclusion would require a change in the MCESD law.

The GWU is the only body within the MCESD willing to accept Forum, although it will not give up one of its two seats for it.

Last month, Labour MP Gino Cauchi filed a Private Member’s Motion in Parliament in which he called for an amendment to the MCESD law to allow the Forum to join.

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