Social partners and politicians of all creeds yesterday signed a declaration pledging to promote an active labour market as outlined in Union Ħaddiema Magħqudin’s Jobs + policy document.
We must look for points of convergence and all pull the same rope
The policy looks at how to entice more people into work while ensuring employees are highly skilled. One proposal of providing free childcare to working parents, made by the Labour Party, has already received extensive electoral coverage.
Yesterday’s meeting saw social partners congratulating one another on having consensually endorsed the document, although there was an inescapable irony in female workforce participation being discussed by 21 men seated around a table.
Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi said industrial disputes were at an all-time low and predicted that new graduates, more working women and later retirements would lead to demand for 25,000 new jobs over the next five years.
“Work generation is the crux of economic prosperity. Lose that and we lose everything,” he warned.
Alternattiva Demokratika chairman Michael Briguglio welcomed the Jobs+ document but insisted raising the minimum wage would have both social and economic benefits, tempting people currently on social benefits to join the workforce.
Labour leader Joseph Muscat praised social partners for their consensus building and said the Malta Council for Economic and Social Development (MCESD) appeared to be “coming of age”.
He also welcomed General Workers’ Union secretary general Tony Zarb’s announcement that unions had taken to meeting before MCESD sessions and hoped this would eventually lead to a national trades union council.
Dr Muscat’s comment was echoed by Chamber of Small and Medium Enterprises – GRTU representative Paul Abela and Gozo Regional Committee representative Michael Grech, with both calling for the MCESD to become more proactive, suggesting policy rather than merely reacting to it. Forum general secretary Paul Pace was keen to remind participants that workers deserved adequate compensation for their training – being more employable was not enough, he said.
Both major parties’ deputy leaders were also present, with the PN’s Simon Busuttil noting that the Government had allocated money towards implementing the policy in last year’s Budget and the PL’s Louis Grech praising the report for its long-term focus.
It was left to UHM secretary-general Josef Vella to bring social partners back to earth, saying that while the general consensus was “historic”, they had a long slog ahead.
“I foresee plenty of disagreements in the months to come. But we must look for points of convergence and all pull the same rope,” he said.
Malta Employers’ Association director general Joe Farrugia looked forward to translating the Jobs+ document into tangible proposals tailor-made for Malta, while Malta Hotels and Restaurant Association president Tony Zahra felt corporate governance structures still lacked accountability.