The General Workers' Union intends to stage a national protest on Thursday in Valletta just before Queen Elizabeth hosts a reception a stone's throw away in Floriana and on the eve of the opening of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting.
The protest is also timed to coincide with the Commonwealth Business Forum being held in St Julians.
Announcing the protest yesterday evening, GWU general secretary Tony Zarb said his union wanted to show foreigners the hardships the Maltese workers were experiencing.
Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi, contacted later, said: "Everybody should shoulder his responsibility".
The decision was taken following a meeting of the GWU national council and some days after the union's central administration held an unfruitful meeting with Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi in connection with its demands for higher fuel surcharge compensation.
The protest is planned to take place at 5.30 p.m. as the three-day Commonwealth Business Forum comes to a close. The union did not say where precisely in Valletta is was planning to protest.
The Queen's reception will be held at Le Meridien Phoenicia, outside City Gate, at 7 p.m. attended by some 300 guests including President Eddie Fenech Adami.
The question now is whether the police will issue a permit for the protest.
Mr Zarb said his union had written to the police about the activity and even though no permit had been issued yet, "they shouldn't have a problem".
When contacted, Police Commissioner John Rizzo confirmed he had received the application and said a decision would be taken once "everything" is taken into consideration.
Speaking during a news conference, flanked by the union's national council members, Mr Zarb said the union did not want to embarrass the country with the protest but wanted to relay a message to foreigners that the work situation in Malta was far from plain sailing.
"We don't want foreign dignitaries to hear just one side of the coin next week. However, let's make it clear that we welcome all the foreigners who will be here and we want them to come back," Mr Zarb said.
Through Thursday's protest, the GWU wanted to send several messages, one of which is to underline the need to stem the government's arrogance, Mr Zarb said.
He accused the Prime Minister of not even bothering to look at the GWU's proposals to counteract the fiscal burdens put forward during last week's meeting, a charge that has been denied by Dr Gonzi.
He warned that the government was already showing arrogance with the way it intended to restructure entities such as Enemalta and Maltacom.
Workers and pensioners could not shoulder the fiscal burdens the government was imposing and the GWU wanted to express solidarity with those losing their jobs.
Mr Zarb said Thursday's event would be the first in a series the union intended to hold. "The GWU is determined to forge ahead until matters that afflict workers in this country are rectified," he said.