The General Workers’ Union was pleased to hear Finance Minister Tonio Fenech tell the Malta Economic and Social Affairs Committee yesterday that “the country is doing so well”.

The economic indicators do not look bad

“I was delighted to hear the minister tell us the country is doing so well,” union secretary general Tony Zarb said after an MCESD meeting in the morning.

“Presumably,” he added, “this means the government will soon give those in precarious work the justice they deserve and will also mean employers will find no difficulty ingiving employees a fair deal.”

Mr Fenech gave the social partners an overview of the state of the Maltese economy within a European context.

According to Union Ħaddiema Magħqudin secretary-general Josef Vella, “the economic indicators don’t look too bad when compared to other member states or the EU average”. He said that the UĦM would continue to press for the effective and manageable reduction of national debt to below 60 per cent of GDP.

The Forum of Maltese Unions, which is demanding a seat in the MCESD, reiterated its protest against the government’s “discrimination and spite” for not having invited it to attend the council’s meeting.

It criticised the pan-European response to growing economic difficulties, which it said had been to crank up austerity measures. “Forum rejects the downward pressure on wages, the dismantling of social protection, attempts to make the labour market even more flexible, the privatisation of public services and the increase in age pension,” it said.

Mr Zarb reiterated his call for the director-general of the Chamber of Small and Medium Enterprises – GRTU, Vince Farrugia, to retract and apologise for a comment he allegedly made at a meeting of the council.

The GWU says that, last November, Mr Farrugia described workers in precarious jobs as “rats”. Mr Farrugia has categorically denied saying so and has also sued Mr Zarb for libel.

As Mr Farrugia was not present for the meeting yesterday, Mr Zarb’s demand was registered in the minutes.

MCESD chairman Sonny Portelli said that Mr Farrugia had given advance warning of his absence, citing business engagements. The next meeting is in mid- to late March.