Alfred Vella, Valletta
Minimum wage ought to be raised
Żminijietna – Voice of the Left criticises the continuous “antisocial” argument put forward by the social partners on the business side that an increase in the minimum wage will undermine competitiveness and will be bad for the economy.
One should keep in mind that the middle and upper classes can today distinguish themselves thanks to the militancy shown in the past by the workers in their struggle for the introduction of the minimum wage. The classification of a minimum wage standard brought about a social justice concept and also gave a value to work.
The fact that the economic system also depends on workers employed with a minimum wage means that their value of work is an important factor to the economy.
We believe that this should be addressed by a measure that would increase their minimum wage. The present rate of the minimum wage is basically low, with many families depending on this living at the risk of poverty and also some below the poverty line, apart from the reality of the inferior working conditions they are employed in.
Żminijietna maintains its argument in favour of an increase in the minimum wage in the next Budget 2011. It is imperative to appreciate the value of the work of these people and remember that they also have a family to sustain. The fact that it was a Left government that introduced the minimum wage, we also believe the Left can only bring about an increase in the minimum wage.
Alternattiva Demokratika - the Green Party, the Communist Party of Malta, the General Workers’ Union and Union Ħaddiema Magħqudin have all came out in favour of an increase in the minimum wage.
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David Pisani
Sep 13th 2010, 12:53
Depends! Example if we want to have a sustainable state pension system, government have to incraese the national insurance contribution (NI) may be by 1% or 2%.
If it has to be run by a private insurance, workers have to contribute more, and there will be no increments adjustments due to the cost of living incraese,
So either way or the other,
gcForte
Sep 13th 2010, 11:52
You have made very interesting and important points. In my opinion, the minimum wage has to finish one day. Normally minimum wage goes with full time employment. The trend today regarding employment, is that jobs are being offered as part time, seasonal, indefinite contracts, self employed, and personal agreements. These systems are bringing us to a point that to have a job, you have to bargain the wage, allowance and conditions. We have to consider that there are lot of legal emigrants searching and accepting every wage and condition, no annual, sick, maternity leave, no bonuses and other conditions that the unions has fought to gain for the Maltese workers through out the years.
Joe Bonnici
Sep 13th 2010, 14:22
gcForte you make a good point for all sorts of immigration to be stopped and all migrants prohibited from working and sent back to their own countries. They are driving our wages and working conditions for which we have fought tooth and nail down down down in a never-ending spiral.
John Abdilla
Sep 13th 2010, 10:46
Beside thanking you for the below info...thanks to add to your informative article if the NI (bolla) is going to be higher than is today cause that is the saying around the maltese citizens......