Labour laws have to be changed to reflect the bigger female workforce, Joseph Muscat said in what he described as the "feminisation" of industrial relations.

The Prime Minister was addressing a conference on changes to the law that regulates employment and industrial relations.

Dr Muscat also listed the three priority areas for the government - greater flexibility that benefitted employers and workers, an increase in the minimum wage and leave for parents when their children are sick and special leave for cancer patients.

He said the government did not want to jump the gun and preferred agreement between unions and employers to be reached but would move ahead with its decisions in the absence of agreement.

Unions and employers are discussing changes to the labour law that was last overhauled in 2002 before Malta joined the EU.