The Union Ħaddiema Maqgħudin said yesterday it was concerned at the way the Malta Council for Economic and Social Development (MCESD) was being run.

In a letter to President John Bencini, UĦM president Jesmond Bonello said it was clear the level of dialogue was focused primarily on the priorities of the Prime Minister’s Office and several ministries.

Any requests for urgent meetings by the OPM or ministries were accepted immediately but requests by the social partners had to be considered before discussion within the council, he said.

The UĦM said it had always believed in the MCESD’s independent role in unhindered social dialogue. However, what was happening created a serious precedent.

In a press release issued later, signed by Sylvia Gauci, the MCESD’s Executive Secretary, the UĦM’s “uncalled for attack on the administration” of the council was described as “unfair, unjust, unmerited and undeserved”.

It gave a false impression to the public of the “sterling work” being performed by the MCESD, which had held a record 60 meetings since March 2013.

The statement referred to the UĦM’s request to hold an ad hoc meeting about the use of mobile phones during official meetings with the Minister for Home Affairs. It said this had nothing to do with sustainable social and economic development, which by law must be the topic of discussions at MCESD level.

The council has now written to the minister, voicing social partners’ concern over government policy that they must not take mobile phones into meetings with ministers, the statement pointed out.