CHEAP LABOUR
Back in the day, we used to have a Labour government and cheap labour, which was about the only means used by Mintoff and his cronies to attract investment. Today, we have a Government that attracts real investment, salaries that are beginning to approach European levels and cheap Labour.
How else would you describe a party whose leader will do or say pretty much anything to get a few extra votes to get elected PM?
How else would you describe a party that has got into bed with, nauseous thought, Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando, for all that it's starting to look as if he's about to dumped for the embarrassment that he has become? A bit late, after sucking up to the sanctimonious twerp, feeding him all manner of offal for his ego, as overdeveloped as it is in inverse proportion to his integrity, to be dumping him, but that's the way it is with Joseph Muscat's Labour Party Movement, as soon as you've served your purpose, out of bed you're kicked.
Are you looking, Cyrus Engerer? Have you taken note, Deborah Schembri? Twigged it, Sabrina Agius? Reading the runes, all the rest of you who have been taken in by the gloss?
How else would you describe a party that pretends to be progressive, and moderate (like being a conservationist hunter, that) and then has its leader surround himself with spectres from the good old days, the days of darkness?
How else would you describe a party that keeps sniping at the Government, purporting to have the national interest at heart and yet since November 2011 has called for an election at least 40 times? And they say they want stability, when all they do is ride opportunistically on the turncoat-tails of Debono and Pullicino Orlando.
How else would you describe a party that says it is decent and tolerant with a place for all but which, in fact, ghettoises gays, looks down on foreigners (especially if they're black) and generally harks back to the good old days, the days of darkness when Big Brother controlled all and decided all.
Cheap Labour, that's the only way you would describe that sort of party.
Popular Stories
In Discussion
31 Comments
Post comment
Please sign in or create your Account to post comments.
M. Bezzina
Aug 30th 2012, 23:21
This article is litterally a non-sense!!When you have families struggling to live with cost of living and paying the water and electricity bills its more than enough!!Alas the quality of life they are living!!
Mr M Spiteri
Jul 21st 2012, 14:07
Dr Borg Cardona if it wasn't for Mintoff you would probably do not have any pants on.
Nenu Galea
Jul 20th 2012, 00:26
DR Cardona you mentioned ``salaries that are beginning to approach European levels`` maybe you were referring to the 500Euros pay rise per week that the PM and his henchmen have taken.Sorry but I was entitled as I am not one of them.And on the other hand regarding cheap labour for me it's the precarious jobs that are only available at the present.
Maybe the PM really believes in Full Employment at Any Cost but for him and his henchmen (and women)
Alex Cutajar
Jul 17th 2012, 13:19
Lol this is ridiculous.
Kollox miexi fuq ir-rubini skond int.
Sarah Grech (Zebbug)
Jul 16th 2012, 21:03
A staunch Nationalist.
I really don't know why I bother to read your write-ups or whatever you call them.
It's like reading a fairytale, where everyone is living happily ever after.
Joseph Borg
Jul 16th 2012, 21:02
Int bis serjeta jew. Ejja niltaqu u ngieblek il payslip ta tfal ha nuriek kemm il pagi qed javvicinaw ma ta l-ewropa. Tieghek imma mhux tavvicina nahseb imma tisboq wisq aktar. Int u min hu bhalek meta tiktbu dak il mod turuna kemm ghadhkom x'titilfu la jispicca dal gvern. Sa kemm ma ssibx opportunisti w jgawdu ma l-ohrajn ukoll. Jekk ghalik Mintoff qatt ma ghamel xejn tajjeb ghal pajjiz ghallinqas kien nehha il faqar li kien jezisti fiz zmien in nazzjonalisti fis sittijiet u li lum qied jerga jerfa rasu propju taht gvern nazzjonalista wkoll.
Geoffrey Farrugia
Jul 16th 2012, 19:39
There is just one question you keep failing to answer though and it is a question that most people keep asking.
How can a government work when there are now 3 MP's, or turncoats as you called them, sitting on the government side in parliament but voting against their own side or abstaining from time to time?
Turncoats or no turncoats the PN has been cornered in a very embarrassing situation. You can claim that the electoral system is unjust, that the MP's have to obey their leader, that the LP is taking advantage of all this...but the issue remains that this whole saga is a PN one and there does not seem to be a solution to it, other than an election.
Joe Sammut
Jul 16th 2012, 21:20
Geoff , the thing is that these MP’s should be representing PN voters , they hijacked the system and are using it for their personal gain, so to speak.
People like me are comfortable that Gonzi is still Prime Minister , democracy is not seats in parliament but the votes those seats are representing or rather should be representing in the case of these prima donnas they should be representing the PN voters on whose ticket they were candidates.
So there you go , its not the thing people are worried about, its BETTER work and BETTER work conditions which are important for people. That is bread and butter issues .
Who cares if the whole lot in both parties is changed as long as the economy is not distabilised. Up to now the Government is working in spite of these back bench back stabbers. Who needs enemies with colleagues like these ?
Joe Sammut
Jul 16th 2012, 15:07
Hallina Dr ABC , b’min trid tghaddi z-zmien? Int TAF li l-pagi u l-kundizzjonijiet tax-xoghol ghal-haddiem nezlin u mhux tilghin. Ma noqghodux inharsu lejn averages imma inharsu lejn il-paga li kienu jaqilghu il-haddiema tlett snin ilu u naraw il-paga tal-istess haddiema li qed jaqilghu issa.
Il-Lufthansa , dik il-kumpanija li il-PN ilu jiftahar biha, loqom taghti bhala pagi u jekk tittawwal naqra fuq il-lista tal-impjiegi tal-ETC malajr tinduna bil-mizerja ta’ pagi li hawn .
Jekk qed tahseb li jien xi ‘rabid commy’ sejjer zball ghax jien dejjem PN ivvutajt imma l-iswed ma tistghax issejjahlu abjad.
Jekk tistaqsini jekk Joey “inhobbkhom” ghandux xi soluzzjoni nghidlek li jekk jitla’ nispiccaw aghar milli qieghedin . Bhalissa hawn ricessjoni li qatt ma rajna bhalha madwarna u qieghedha toloq lil-haddiem u lil-middle class iktar minn qatt qabel u iva hawn ic-cheap labour , anzi mhux talli hekk hawn employers li jkeccu n-nies u ma jaghtuhomx l-ahhar paga shiha u jsibu hajt imkahhal ta' burokrazija u xi avukat bhalek jiddefendi lil min ikun qed jabbuza.
Kitba bhal tieghek ma tnissilx hlief rabja lejn il-Gvern minn min qieghed fil-borma bhali.
Hallina Andrew!
godwin difesa
Jul 18th 2012, 14:23
Are you living in Malta or where?Or may be younger than 40years old because 25years ago the only work teenagers and young people could find are jobs or in textiles factories or in labor corps.If school leavers of 16 years how can they find stable jobs with good conditions and good wages as those jobs can be done be theses asylum seekers until they are in Malta.Those who go to mcast and study for a degree they can find good jobs with good salary at least now these youngsters they have to thank PN for giving them the best opportunities to study with the best colleges,good university,mcast, and on top stipend every month.
Joe Sammut
Jul 16th 2012, 14:40
Hallina Dr ABC , b’min trid tghaddi z-zmien? Int TAF li l-pagi u l-kundizzjonijiet tax-xoghol ghal-haddiem nezlin u mhux tilghin. Ma noqghodux inharsu lejn averages imma inharsu lejn il-paga li kienu jaqilghu il-haddiema tlett snin ilu u naraw il-paga tal-istess haddiema li qed jaqilghu issa.
Il-Lufthansa , dik il-kumpanija li il-PN ilu jiftahar biha, loqom taghti bhala pagi u jekk tittawwal naqra fuq il-lista tal-impjiegi tal-ETC malajr tinduna bil-mizerja ta’ pagi li hawn .
Jekk qed tahseb li jien xi ‘rabid commy’ sejjer zball ghax jien dejjem PN ivvutajt imma l-iswed ma tistghax issejjahlu abjad.
Jekk tistaqsini jekk Joey “inhobbkhom” ghandux xi soluzzjoni nghidlek li jekk jitla’ nispiccaw aghar milli qieghedin . Bhalissa hawn ricessjoni li qatt ma rajna bhalha madwarna u qieghedha toloq lil-haddiem u lil-middle class iktar minn qatt qabel u iva hawn ic-cheap labour , anzi mhux talli hekk hawn employers li jkeccu n-nies u ma jaghtuhomx l-ahhar paga shiha u jsibu hajt imkahhal ta' burokrazija u xi avukat bhalek jiddefendi lil min ikun qed jabbuza.
Kitba bhal tieghek ma tnissilx hlief rabja lejn il-Gvern minn min qieghed fil-borma bhali.
Hallina Andrew!
Dominic Vella
Jul 16th 2012, 10:42
Mr. Cardona
During the last couple of months your beloved Nationalist government has been employing a number of people with Air Malta with a 35 hour week. This means they are not entitled to certain benefits as they do not qualify as full timers. And this all through ETC!!
Private companies have the right to employ teenagers on a rolling 4 year contract with subsidised wages by the EU before giving them a indefinite contract. Some years back one had the right to be given a indefinite contract once the 6 month probationary period was successful. (Not to metion that are paid less than 150 euro a week!)
There are also other workers especially those who are employed with small manufacturing companies or in construction who are sacked if they try to enroll with a union or speak up for their rights
This is what I call Cheap Labour
As for your comment re Joseph Muscat, if you decide to listen to his speaches once in a while [instead of wrecking your brain how to come up with a write up to make Labour look ugly and the PN in "par idejn sodi"] you would have noticed that at nauseam he has been saying that Labour will not promise the world to everyone. Doable polices which will slowly but surely improve our economic situation and everyday life is the way forward.
So, are all the accusations made by JPO, Mugliette and Debonao false? Are their arguments about justice, the power station and the clique all sour grapes?
Why not write something about this?......we all know why!
Andrew Borg-Cardona
Jul 16th 2012, 13:02
your grasp of employment law is a tenuous as your grasp of English.
Dominic Vella
Jul 16th 2012, 14:46
Ha! ha!
It would be interesting to know if your decision to refrain from answering any of my points was related to your inability to understand my poor English or the fact that you have nothing to say for yourself.
Trying to win an argument about current issues that hurt people's dignity and pockets based on one's grasp of the English language shows how shallow you are prepared to go just for the sake of defending your beloved party, even when they are in the wrong.
Anyway.....I admire your sense of loyalty towards the party, even if it means that you have to sacrifice your reputation and credibility.
Eddy Privitera
Jul 16th 2012, 10:21
WHAT ELSE CAN WE EXPECT FROM ABC ? WHEN DEFENDING GONZIPN AT ALL COSTS, ABC HAS A GLARING CONFLICT OF INTEREST !
Sean Swain
Jul 16th 2012, 14:34
@ Eddie Privitera: lol...bit rich coming from you Eddie...
You both tend to be politically short sighted at times. Lets face it, we live in a country where you are either with them or against them, and can't afford to stand in between for fear of the country collapsing. An unfortunate reality to say the least. But gunning outright without having the maturity to highlight problems on both sides of the court? That's just childish.
Both parties have their demons, both parties have skeletons in their closet. One needs to look at the manifest, the promises, the countries needs and one's own needs, highlight what's realistic and vote for the best. Unfortunately we only have one political party so far that has something resembling a manifest and some concrete planning, because the other party is waiting till the opportune moment for fear of their opposition copying their notes.
VINCENT WILLIAMS
Jul 15th 2012, 19:10
Cheap labour and lack of work always flourished under PN Governments. So much that between 1962 and 1970 more than 45,000 had to emigrate by force because of that. When for years the constant unemployment was 8,000 each year.
During the last years the precarious work flourished year after year. Workers which their main job is that of a part time increased. Workers on the minimum wage are increasing year after year. According to the European Union poverty in Maltese increased during the last years. No wonder than that Gonzi Partit Negattiv is 10 points behind Labour according to various opinion polls.
And that Gonzi Partit Negattiv is not only afraid to go to the polls a few months early. But Gonzi Partit Negattiv is afraid to resume Parliament to have another confidence vote.
Joe Vella
Jul 16th 2012, 10:05
Vincent williams throwing wild figures doesn't impress no body. Immigration was a PL solution to employment. It was the PL that created the Immigration Department soon after it got elected in 1955. The very first Minister of Immigration was a certain Mr. Cole. Mr. Cole chose to emigrate to Australia soon afterwards as well. Then there was the brilliant idea of employment creation of the 80's being the Korpi Tax-Xoghol. Dead end employment that provided nothing towards the GDP, unsustainable, and that stripped from the workers the right to strike.
Joseph Micallef
Jul 15th 2012, 16:50
Old dark days? I was shocked seeing those thugs just in fron of the Dar Centrali when the executive meeting was being held. Tough guys with questionable credentials ready to create trouble portraying the message :"here it's ours and anyone who dares in walking here we'll eat him"...possibly "our country is ours..gonzipn". talk is cheap ABC.
joe farrugia
Jul 16th 2012, 10:49
Jidher li ghadek zghir u tafx kif kienu jkunu it-tough guys taht il labour siehbi li sawtu kemm niesa u anke tfal li kienu qed igorru maktur tal -partit nazzjonalista biex ma nsemmiex it-tough guys fil pulizija li jalquk go kamra fl-ghassa u kienu jdamdmuk bis swat li kienu jtuk u kont tispicca l-isptar taqla xebba ohra minghand il partitarji u t-tobba ma jistawx jirraportaw ghax kienu jaqalaw tamdima huma ukoll forsi dawn int qatt ma jarabthom u nawguralek li qatt ma garrabhom hemm kienu it-tough guys u me4la jkun hemm tnejn li jkunu ma dar centrali li ma jhallux lil min mhux suppost jidhol ma jidholx.Mur gijbek tghix zmien il labour kienu mhux tkun ixxukjat kieku kont taqa ghal mejjet siehbiu d-dhhakx nies bik.
G Schembri
Jul 15th 2012, 16:40
The only salaries that are anywhere near their EU counterparts, are the salaries the Ministers gave themselves, otherwise all salaries are much lower than in the EU. As a matter of fact workers in Greece protested because their wages had gone down, but were still higher than ours. The irony of it all is that with our taxes we are helping these workers to keep a salary which is much higher than ours. Then our dear Prime Minister tells us how lucky we are to be working when in other EU countries unemployment benefits are much higher than most of our wages.
Yes Dr Borg Cardona Labour ( PL) is cheap - At least they have promised not to take the salaries our dear PN government gave themselves. Hopefully their performance will be better, it doesn't take much to give better performance than Gonzi PN.
Back in the days when we had cheap labour and an MLP government, working class mothers could afford to stay at home and take care of the kids, while husbands could choose to take a part time job which paid and had better conditions than some of the jobs they have now. Back then with the minimum wage a family could afford to live, decently. Now both parents have to work to keep the same lifestyle they had under a "Labour government and cheap labour", when men went out to work and women could afford to stay at home and take care of the house and children.
Franco Farrugia
Jul 16th 2012, 02:50
Quote: 'Back in the days when we had cheap labour and an MLP government, working class mothers could afford to stay at home and take care of the kids, while husbands could choose to take a part time job which paid and had better conditions than some of the jobs they have now.....'
Ehm.... tghidx hmerijiet, lanqas int!
G Schembri
Jul 16th 2012, 21:45
Franco I talking from my own experience, what about you? When I was first married in the early 80s, young families could afford to have one breadwinner, usually the wife stayed at home and took care of the children at least until they started school. Some later opted to go out to work - EFA said it was because they wanted to buy an air conditioner or an annual holiday. Now the wife has to go out to work to pay for the house loan many would love to stay at home and take care of the children but cannot afford it.
Franco Farrugia
Jul 15th 2012, 10:09
Quote: 'salaries that are beginning to approach European levels'.
Come, come, ABC, ejja ma ndahhqux nies bina!
Andrew Borg-Cardona
Jul 15th 2012, 10:31
I wrote "beginning to approach" Farrugia - do you not get shades of meaning?
Franco Farrugia
Jul 16th 2012, 02:49
Quote: 'salaries that are beginning to approach European levels.'
Once again: come, come, ABC, ejja ma nifqghux lil kulhadd bid-dahk! You must be referring to some people's salaries, not those of many of the Maltese citizens working in Malta, surely. Most people have only two pockets, you know, not several.
Mr Joe Micallef
Jul 16th 2012, 10:03
Farrugia you are so wound up that you cannot read properly!
Franco Farrugia
Jul 16th 2012, 12:17
@ Mr Joe Micallef: MOI, wound up? You must be joking! Wish everyone was as cool as I! And by the way, now I have realised that I have spent all my life waiting for a Micallef to help me read!
Franco Farrugia
Jul 15th 2012, 10:08
I think that 'cheap' is coming from both sides of the House but ABC is unable to see the real colours around him. Obviously, hux.
Andrew Borg-Cardona
Jul 15th 2012, 10:33
If you mean that Pullicino Orlando, Mugliett and Debono are cheap, you have a point, but I don't see them as anything but being on the Labour side, I'm afraid.
Franco Farrugia
Jul 16th 2012, 02:47
Wrong! Things started going wrong LONG BEFORE we started hearing of Franco Debonos and JPOs. Things started going wrong BEFORE Dr Gonzi became PM. You should know something about that. But of course, and I don't mean to offend: you are politically short-sighted and you find it impossible to judge things from a distance, the way I do.
Please choose the reason of your report below: