Sunday, 17th August 2008
We can compromise and we can all win
Many would expect me to comment on the last topic I wrote about,- why I was running for Labour’s GS post. Sorry I have to disappoint you. I gave my comments to The Times online the day after and have taken a week off.
So now to write about the issue of the week, and that definitely has to be the shipyards’ privatisation.
When I last wrote on the subject (July 7), I had appealed to all involved to ensure that whatever happens the skills of the dockyard workers are not lost and this in the long term interest of the country and the survival of Malta as a maritime nation. Sadly, the players seem to have given little thought to this. The Nationalist Government has not only pressed on with privatisation but has also published its voluntary retirement schemes. The General Workers’ Union (GWU) has in turn dug in and insisted on job security.
I believe that it is not too late for the two sides to come to an agreement.
I believe a compromise can be achieved on the following lines.
Firstly, the government should put the retirement schemes on hold and allow the eventual buyers to decide how many workers they need to run the yards according to their business plans. In return the union should pledge to accept the decisions taken by the new owners as final and non-negotiable.
Once the new owners have decided how many employees they need to keep on their books, the government will undertake to do two things. Firstly, to assist the laid off workers to find alternative employment either within the maritime industry, especially with those hitherto known as private shipyards which already make use of the skills of the Malta Shipyards’ employees on a part-time basis, or in other industries which need their skills.
Secondly, the government should undertake to compensate the remaining employees for whom no alternative employment has been found on the lines of the voluntary retirement schemes it has announced.
In my view, this will be a win-win situation for everybody. The government would win because it would be assured that the privatisation process is not derailed. The GWU would also be a winner because it would have got the best deal for the shipyards workers whereby the final employment level needed by the new owners is decided by the owners themselves, productive alternative employment is found for the others who are employable and compensation is guaranteed for those who do not make it either way.
Above all, the entire country will be the winner because, first of all, we would have avoided unnecessary conflict and, secondly, we would ensure that the skills of the shipyards’ employees are not lost.
So my appeal is to believe that we can do it.
We can compromise and we can all win.
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Comments
I am optimistic that all parties will be happy at then end. A.G's suggestions are very sensible and workable.
Prosit Fred!
Keep up the good work.
I want to add that united and if we believe as you do that we can make everything possible, even the most ambitious targets can be achieved .