Forum accepts council observer status

The confederation that has been fighting for a seat on the economic development council for several years is willing to accept a government invitation to join as an observer as long as this is temporary.

I hope this is temporary and Forum will be given a reasonable timeframe to become a full member

Forum Unions Maltin, a confederation of 11 unions which represent a total of 12,000 workers, including the Malta Union of Teachers and the Malta Union of Midwives and Nurses, may finally see an end to its seven year tug-of-war to join the Malta Council for Economic and Social Development.

Justice Minister Chris Said said Forum would be invited to attend and contribute to the meetings as an observer, without voting rights, until an amendment to the MCESD law made it through Parliament.

He said the inclusion of Forum on the council was only possible if the law, which stipulated the council’s composition, was amended.

This amendment and others, which are being discussed by an MCESD working group, will be presented to Parliament once it reconvenes after the Easter recess later this month.

Forum general secretary Paul Pace had earlier in the day turned down the government’s offer because, he said, observers at MCESD level were not allowed to speak and Forum was not “second class”.

But when contacted later, after it was clarified that Forum would be allowed to contribute, Mr Pace, who is also the general secretary of the nurses’ union, said Forum was willing to accept the invitation.

He hoped this was a temporary arrangement and that Forum would be given a reasonable timeframe by when to become fully-fledged MCESD members.

Forum has long been complaining it was being muzzled by being left out of the consultative council.

However, the government stuck to a position that although it had no objection, Forum’s membership had to be unanimously agreed by all the social partners.

This stance changed recently after Forum joined the European Trade Union Confederation, with Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi saying this was now a new reality that had to be addressed.