Employers association and the unions

Żminijietna – Voice of the Left appreciates the “good relationship” the Malta Employers Association enjoys with most of the major trade unions in Malta, as stated by Joe Farrugia in his letter of August 31. We also compliment the association for its conciliatory role in the trade dispute between Palumbo Spa and the General Workers’ Union.

However, Żminijietna is concerned about the MEA’s stand against Forum’s participation in the Malta Council for Economic and Social Dialogue. We believe that modern industrial relations should be conducted with a different approach based on democratic principles. The director general of the MEA can rest assured that his organisation was singled out in our comments (August 22) for the simple reason that we disagree with it taking sides in what appears to be a purely partisan dispute in the trade union camp.

Żminijietna did not accept the employers’ support for the other social partners’ hostile rejection of the Forum from inclusion in the MCSED. For Mr Farrugia’s information, Żminijietna is a recognised NGO, active in the socio-political sphere.

It publishes a quarterly newspaper and organises several activities, among them seminars to which MEA has been invited several times and, regrettably never took up our invitation. We are also an active member in the sectoral committees of Meusac and in the Malta Environment and Planning Authority’s environmental group.