Claudia Calleja
Call for better protection of foreign labour in high season
Better law enforcement was needed to ensure that foreigners working in Malta during the busy tourism months were not abused by employers, the general secretary of the General Workers’ Union, Tony Zarb said.
The tourism sector was the largest employer within the services’ industry, he said. The tourism industry was busiest in the summer months, which meant that some seasonal migrant workers ended up without a job during winter.
Mr Zarb was speaking during a conference on the responsible management of seasonal migration in a period of economic crisis in the tourism industry.
The conference, organised by the GWU and other members of the Confederation of Trade Unions, brought together union representatives from various countries. They discussed a proposed EU directive on establishing common entry and residence conditions for third country seasonal workers.
There are about eight million migrant workers in the EU, making up four per cent of the workforce. Such workers are more vulnerable because they are not nationals of the state where they are working.
The secretary of the GWU’s hospitality section, Joseph Bugeja, explained that, on paper, Maltese law protected seasonal workers from abuse as it laid down that there had to be equal pay for equal work. However, this did not always happen in practice and there was lack of enforcement of the law, he said. There were cases of legal foreign workers who were not paid fairly but feared speaking up because they could lose their job.
The Parliamentary Secretary for Tourism, Mario de Marco said the employment of third country workers was a sensitive topic because some locals feared foreigners would take their jobs. Yet, they often filled jobs that locals did not.
He said the exploitation of any worker was not to be tolerated and stressed it was the duty of the EU and of governments to protect workers from abuse and citizens from unregulated third country workers.
Turning to the tourism sector, he pointed out that surveys showed that 80 per cent of tourists rated services in Malta as “good” or “very good” in the off-peak season. The figure dropped to 73 per cent during peak months. This suggested that the influx of less trained seasonal workers diluted the quality of the service offered, Dr de Marco said. This in turn highlighted the importance of the proper training of third country nationals who came to work in the tourism industry in Malta during the peak summer months, he said.
Labour Party tourism spokesman Marie-Louise Coleiro-Preca pointed out that 24 per cent of people in employment were dependent on the tourism industry. During the international crisis, Malta had lost about 4.3 per cent of employment in the sector.
Figures issued by the Employment and Training Corporation showed that the hospitality industry was responsible for the highest number of abuse in employment.
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Joseph Camileri
Sep 3rd 2010, 12:58
How about protecting Maltese workers from foreign and illegal immigrants workers GWU? It's disgusting that a Maltese trade union is defending foreign and illegal immigrants instead of Maltese workers. No wonder your membership is going down down down.
patrick zammit
Sep 3rd 2010, 10:46
And not a single word about Maltese workers "abused by employers".
I thought that charity begins at home.
The country is "going to the dogs" the way the UK already did.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1293730/Somali-asylum-seeker-family-given-2m-house--complaining-5-bed-London-home-poor-area.html
C Cassar
Sep 3rd 2010, 12:45
If Maltese workers were actually capable of doing most service jobs in a professional manner, foreign workers wouldn't be required. Howerever, this is the crux of the problem in Malta the term "professional". As well as the word "maintenance" and "long term view", all are missing from the Maltese cultural vocabulary. In the service industry covering supermarkets, cafes, bars & restaurants, the majority of Maltese are hopeless. However, those here from other parts of Europe, particularly the eastern European countries have a true passion and hunger to carry out service jobs professionally. Most Maltese in these positions never bother to greet a customer, never bother to smile and never proactively interact with them. It's always a reactive mentality from the Maltese - "oh leave it until it really needs to be done" rather that "let's see if we can do something before a situation arises".
I can only see more "foreign" workers arriving in Malta if the tourism & hospitality industry really needs to get a big lift.
It's just not in Maltese culture to serve or assist other people when it comes to the service industries. Better they do something else - old dog/new tricks??
patrick zammit
Sep 3rd 2010, 15:36
C Cassar
You attributed qualities to Maltese workers that are also common to foreign ones.
Conditions for those working in catering/service industry are possible the worst you can find.
The only thing that attracts employers to foreign workers is their lower remuneration and their acceptance of poorer working conditions.
C Cassar
Sep 3rd 2010, 17:46
@patrick zammit: working conditions are not poorer for foreign workers, as long as they are legal and most are from the EU anyway, so have workers rights protection. With regards lower remuneration, the terms of pay are known before starting the job, it doesn't change once started. I think you are confusing lower remuneration with someone who's prepared to do a job at a lower rate than a local from Malta. It's called "competition" and many Maltese can't compete simply because they have no hard work ethic like the eastern Europeans (for example). Too many Maltese want to earn a lot of money very quickly, which won't happen. The foreign workers you talk of have the same cost of living as those in Malta, in fact probably higher when it comes to utility bills since they will be classed as "Domestic" rather than the lower "Residential" tariffs the Maltese are lucky to pay. The Maltese can also try and compete in any country they like in the EU, many of which will offer higher remuneration than in Malta. However, I think they will fail on the most important factor - work ethic and fit i to the service industry.
Peter Spiteri
Sep 3rd 2010, 22:46
C Cassar Maltese workers can compete but the competition has to be fair. Foreign workers live ten to a room to share the expenses, many work on the black economy without paying any taxes or NI Contributions and many do nto even know how to do their job but ask Maltese workers what and how they should do it.
When illegal immigrants are concerned, they not only work on the black economy, but have free housing, food, allowances, internet telephone, television, water, electricity, gas, childrens allowance etc. So how can the Maltese workers compete with any of these foreigners?
We do not need foreigner workers because they are undermining Maltese workers. We need a government who will have guts like Mintoff and sends all foreign workers away, even those coming from EU countries. Malta and Maltese first and foremost.
C Cassar
Sep 4th 2010, 08:57
@Peter Spiteri: Sorry but there is no evidence of "foreign" workers living 10 to a room. That is just paranoia from someone who has realised that they actually have to put in a full days work because now there are those that do in Malta. There is a massive labour market that the Maltese can now utilise due to the EU, so why don't they do this if they find it so hard to find a job in Malta? After all, many other EU workers make the effort to better their lives by working in another country. As for the black economy and the lack of tax being paid, most unpaid tax due in Malta is solely down to the locals, particularly VAT.
It's a classic case of jealousy to always blame someone else for the lack of a job, especially when that someone else has worked hard, made the effort to better their lives and ultimately deliver a better service for the money.
The Maltese who constantly moan can keep burying their heads in the sand but as each year passes, the harder it will become for them to catch up with the rest of the EU.