The majority of Maltese do not seem to be too bothered about the doom and gloom engulfing the European economy as the confidence they have in their ability to retain their job over the next couple of years ranks among the highest in the EU.
With the prospects of recession just round the corner, 90 per cent of Maltese respondents in an EU-wide survey conducted last October said they were still very confident of hanging on to their current job – a two per cent increase over a similar survey conducted in 2009.
In sharp contrast, more than a third of European citizens currently in work are concerned about losing their jobs.
With austerity measures ravaging their economies, it comes as no surprise that the majority of Spaniards and Greeks think their job might be on the line in the coming years.
Asked for their opinion on whether lifetime jobs are a thing of the past, the majority of Maltese respondents – 61 per cent – agreed.
Only 22 per cent agreed that workers were still retiring at a young age. On the contrary, the majority, 69 per cent, said that the retirement age was fine and should not be raised. Until a few years ago, retirement age was 61 for men and 60 for women. However, through the first phase of the pensions reform implemented in 2006, the retirement age has become the same for both sexes and will be gradually increased to 65 years.
On the whole, Europeans consider that the impact of the EU on employment and social policies in their country is beneficial.
Most think the EU plays a positive role in making it easier for people to work in different EU member states, in improving access to education and training, in making easier for people to start their own business and in setting minimum standards for working conditions throughout the EU.
In Malta, many still find that a steady job is better than having to start your own business. Only eight per cent said that they would try to create their own business if they lost their current job, half the average in the EU which stood at 16 per cent.
The survey comes on the same day that new EU data show Malta as doing relatively well in controlling its unemployment.
According to Eurostat, October’s unemployment rate remained stable at 6.7 per cent, slightly up from 6.6 per cent registered in September.
On the other hand, unemployment in the euro area during the same month climbed to 10.3 per cent.