GWU calls for cost-of-living wage adjustment every six months
The GWU, in Budget proposals today, called for cost-of-living wage adjustments to be given every six months, to more effectively mirror fluctuation in prices.
Union General Secretary Tony Zarb told a press conference that in this way, workers and their families would be compensated for price rises six months in arrears, and not after a year, as at present.
Furthermore, he insisted, the formula used for the calculation of the adjustment needed to be improved so that it could be a more accurate measure.
He said that an MCESD sub-committee which had discussed the issue had prepared a report which would now be discussed by the MCESD members individually before being presented to a plenary session of the council.
OTHER PROPOSALS
Turning to other proposals, Mr Zarb said the GWU was continuing to insist that the minimum wage should rise and public holidays which fell on weekends should not be lost to workers, but should be 'handed back' in a staggered manner over a three-year period.
He insisted that the government should take more measures to discourage 'precarious work' including inspection of workers' conditions before public contracts were awarded.
He also called for an immediate reduction in utility tariffs and the allocation of more resources to the Occupational Health and Safety Authority so that it could carry out more inspections at places of work.
In other proposals, the GWU is calling for cheaper medicines, a reduction of hospital waiting time and waiting lists, an upgrading of Gozo hospital and improved student stipends.
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Joseph E Briffa
Nov 1st 2012, 08:55
Perhaps we should do it every month to cope with fuel prices. Hilarious
Charles Massa
Oct 31st 2012, 22:06
@ Joe M.Borg
Mela IL gwu HSIBTA il UHM dejjem halqa maghluq meta jkun hemm il PN fil gvern. insejt meta il UHM talbet LM9 fil gimgha zieda u kif kien hemm il PN fil gvern ma fethitx halqa. Insejt li Gejtu Vella li sa ftit zmien ilu kien fil UHM issa hiereg kandidat mal PN
Paul Caruana
Oct 31st 2012, 21:24
Agreed.....as long as the country's finances permit it.
Angelo Xerri
Oct 31st 2012, 18:10
Angelo Xerri
Tony we should be following Cyprus remember. Orders from you know who.
Charles Massa
Oct 31st 2012, 17:45
Proposti li jaghmlu sens
Joe M Borg
Oct 31st 2012, 18:19
Yes Charles. Would they STILL make sense if PL were in government. As you know, when PLM/PL are in government, GWU go into hibernation! And they haven't hibernated since 1998! During PL time in office, it seems that GWU 'suggest' to the government what THE GOVERNMENT wants them to suggest!
C Cassar
Oct 31st 2012, 17:37
If a company's profit goes down one year, the pay for it's employees must also go down. At the moment pay is going up whether or not a companiy's profits go up or down. It's an unsustainable situation.
Robert Agius
Oct 31st 2012, 19:16
And when profits (and prices) rise go way up, do wages go up accordingly?
C Cassar
Oct 31st 2012, 23:06
They go up every year, so yes but it's unsustainable.
Darren Portelli
Oct 31st 2012, 17:15
What a backward way of doing things; Federally mandated wage adjustments. FYI to Malta; the rest of the free world does not do it this way. Your employer decides that rate and it is different for each person at that place of employment. You have to earn your raise and not sit back and expect the federal government to force your employer to give it to you.
Tony Scicluna
Nov 1st 2012, 16:57
Darren
well said. And enough said on this matter. Hekk jonqos ukoll, jiehu min ma haqqux!!!!!!
Anthony Pace
Oct 31st 2012, 17:15
The average working week in the EU is 36.5 hours and not 40 hours as in Malta. This allows an employee to have half a day off each week.
Cola should not be written in pay reviews. These are needed every 3 years.
In Malta a worker gets 50% of the salary in the rest of the EU! We need to achieve EU standards of living as well as avoiding paying tax as at present.
C Cassar
Oct 31st 2012, 19:01
Yes, the Maltese might be at work 2 hours longer a week but what are they actually doing whilst there? It's a lot less than their EU counterparts. Just turning up for work and staying for a certain number of hours doesn't mean you are productive.
Anthony Pace
Nov 1st 2012, 07:07
@ C. Cassar - 3.5 hours less a week to be correct to get a half-day in their working week. It's the responsibility of bosses to realise that their workers are productive and getting paid properly will increase productivity and responsibility!
Joe M Borg
Oct 31st 2012, 16:55
Tony Zarb, will YOU make the same proposals to a 'new' (!) PL government? Or will you FIRST ask Joseph Muscat what he wants you to propose, before you make your proposals? We wonder in awe and expectation!
Paul Azzopardi
Oct 31st 2012, 16:34
Seriously, Tony Zarb sounds like he is writting out his Christmas list. Not only are these requests most of which are unrealistic but some of them do nothing to help the economy in any way. Encoraging the public to work less isnt going to help business.Calabrating wages to the cost of living is fine and OHSA is there but not even the employee themselve bother, which is bad.
joseph saliba
Oct 31st 2012, 16:30
But should not he wait for the so imminent new administration to take such a decision. Would it not be a minority gov imposing a majority one?
Jo Camm
Oct 31st 2012, 17:14
He should wait untill after the election. Or he is doing it now as after the election, if the PL is elected to govern, he will go hibernating??
Michael Seychell
Oct 31st 2012, 16:04
Tony I feel certain that an M/LP win in the coming elections will accept your suggestions upon being elected and intoto!.
Michael Seychell Tal-Pieta
David Magro
Oct 31st 2012, 19:45
Forsi jaccetta il-proposta ta Gejtu Vella sur Scychell, dik ta Lm9....daqs kemm accetta GonziPN.
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