Andrew Borg Cardona (July 6) claims that the amendments to the Employment and Industrial Relations Act (EIRA) were introduced “almost by stealth”.
This statement is untrue and ill-intentioned as the minister publicly announced these amendments in her introduction to Gvern li Jisma’ - where all the press was present (including the Times of Malta) – on the same day that the amendments were published: June 28. This, after a parliamentary process which is televised and reported by the media.
On June 27 all chairpersons – the people directly concerned – were informed of the approved amendments carried through Parliament “nem com”. The letter informing the chairpersons was accompanied by the approved Bill.
The amendments regarding the Industrial Tribunal were presented to Parliament after several discussions with the social partners on the Employment Relations Board and a substantial part of the final amending Bill included proposals made by the legal representatives of the social partners. The consultation was extensive and included meetings between the legal representatives of the social partners and the Attorney General.
This process was seen as the first of its nature in which all stakeholders had the opportunity to be involved in the legal drafting
This process was seen by the social partners on the Employment Relations Board as the first of its nature in which all stakeholders had the opportunity to be involved in the legal drafting and to openly discuss their proposals not only with the ministry but also with the Attorney General.
It is relevant to point out that these amendments were introduced at this stage so that the tribunal may continue functioning, but they are part of a much bigger package of amendments for the EIRA which will be presented at a later stage.
The need for some of these amendments was highlighted by the social partners to the previous Nationalist administration; the former were ignored by the latter and the amendments shelved.
But Borg Cardona never felt the need to criticise that government on that situation even though he was a signatory to the report on the aforementioned amendments. It seems he found his voice only after there was a change in government.
It is also pertinent to underline that the case which led to the suspension of the Industrial Tribunal was instituted in 2008 under the previous administration. It is strange – or maybe not so strange – that a consultant to the previous administration, who portrays himself as a defendant of the Industrial Tribunal, was very lenient with the previous administration about the fact that his report on how the tribunal should function was left to gather dust, while being very hard on this government which did something about it.
It is only now that Borg Cardona has found the courage to speak up and, on a positive note, this has happened because he knows that it is the present adminstration that can and will effectively make the necessary changes.
And, finally, Borg Cardona’s odd and negative reference to rainbow crossings to attack amendments to the EIRA, smacks of homophobia. This coming from a man who has already exposed his misogyny and hatred for anything that happens under the current government, on Twitter a few weeks ago for all to see.
Reuben Sciberras is communications coordinator at the Ministry for Social Dialogue, Consumer Affairs and Civil Liberties.