The Communist Party said this eveing that the Budget 2011 was an anti-social budget, where the government was denying the right for a decent wage to those workers with a minimum wage.

"It is offensive that the government has tied an increase in minimum wage with job training, when training is supposed to be a worker’s right. While high-wage earners are giving job training without any conditions. This is nothing but discrimination to workers with low income and this will increase social exclusion and class inequalities.

"The Communist Party of Malta condemns the fact that the Government has not used the same measures with regards middle and upper class families who choose to send their children to private schools.

The party said the campaign against exploitation at work must be accompanied by new work legislation for secure jobs and decent wages.

"The measure announced by the government seems to be attractive, although we fear that this will not be effective, if the government continues to apply the same method used in granted contracts on the least minimum bid," the party said.