"Malta's trade unions should do their utmost to convince the European Trade Union Council (ETUC) to join the European Parliament in voicing its concerns on the restriction of overtime working time hours for employees. This would be highly beneficial to Maltese and foreign workers alike," David Casa MEP said during a meeting with General Workers' Union General Secretary Tony Zarb. Present at the meeting, which was held this morning, were other senior officials of the union.

Speaking about the recent discussion on overtime during the European Parliament's plenary session, Mr Casa stressed that "workers should be allowed to decide for themselves how many overtime hours they would like to work and that politicians should not interfere with this."

Mr Zarb showed agreement with Mr Casa's position on overtime and expressed his hope that working conditions would improve so that overtime would not be required and so that workers could spend more time with their families.

During the same meeting, Mr Casa presented the recently approved European Parliament report on the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund. The Nationalist MEP was the European People's Party's negotiator on the report and worked towards including amendments which would be beneficial to Maltese workers who are forced into redundancy as a result of the international economic crisis. He explained that workers that fell within the remits of the Fund's scheme would be given immediate aid and training by the Employment and Training Corporation so as to find it easier to re-enter the workforce through EU funding.

Mr Casa also spoke about the discussion on the Renewed Social Agenda - another report he is negotiating on behalf of the EPP-ED group within the Economic and Monetary Affairs Committee of the European Parliament - which took place during the same EP plenary session.

Mr Casa concluded by remarking that MEPs should maintain contact and strengthens dialogue with Malta's trade unions so that workers can continue to make the best of Malta's membership in the European Union.