The Forum of trade unions, a grouping which includes the Malta Union of Teachers and the Malta Union of Midwives and Nurses, has backed calls for an urgent meeting of the Malta Council for Economic and Social Development to discuss the utility tariffs.

The Forum said the new rates, announced on Monday, were exaggerated and made no sense.

"The new high rates will cause job losses and price rises since businesses cannot absorb the new costs. This all means we will go through a long period of uncertainty and the recession will drag on for longer than expected," the trade unions said.

The Forum also insisted that it should be given a seat on the MCESD.

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