The Malta Chamber of Commerce, Enterprise and Industry has called for the government to see how various government services could be maintained throughout the summer months – but the General Workers’ Union is not taking any chances.

“Even though there is as yet no request for any workers to lose their half-days, the GWU believes that in times when the economy is doing so well, employees should see improvements in their working conditions, and not lose any of the benefits that they have won over the years,” it said today.

The GWU added that it would not accept that any workers should lose the summer half days.

The Chamber earlier this week said that it was not acceptable that certain government departments were hindering economic operation, by either closing shop altogether, or providing their services at a premium cost, in the afternoons of the summer months.

When the economy is doing so well, employees should see improvements in their working conditions, and not lose any of the benefits that they have won over the years

“The private and public sector were the two sides of the same coin called the economy, and they needed each other to function well. Therefore, the Chamber calls on government to find a solution, at no cost to the private sector, to maintain uninterrupted services to business during summer afternoons.”

Some government employees work longer hours in winter in order to be able to take off summer afternoons.

The GWU accused the chamber of making this proposal as a way to compensate for the eventuality that employers would have to give a day’s leave in lieu of public holidays falling on a weekend.