Solidarity should be key to all activity in 2011 and the social partners and unions should work closer together to ensure the right decisions are made in the best interest of the country, according to the Confederation of Malta Trade Unions

CMTU president William Portelli called for “less politics and more business” and said by being more efficient and productive the economy would become less vulnerable, ensuring sufficient maintenance and generation of jobs.

Mr Portelli said Malta should be proud of its standard of living, however, the CMTU felt all social partners should continue to communicate change to employees.

The “government should do its utmost to avoid being complacent even though Malta is being rated highly among the 27 EU member states”.

Meanwhile, the trade union association Forum listed pension reform and the acute problem of waiting lists at hospitals among the challenges facing the country in 2011.

In his message for the New Year, Forum president John Bencini called for more unity among unions and urged the government to stop practising “politics of exclusion and exclusivity” when dealing with Forum, which has 11 affiliated unions.

Mr Bencini said the state of unemployment was satisfactory, especially when considering it was the fourth lowest in the EU, after Austria, Holland and Luxembourg. However, more work needed to be done to increase the rate of female employment and participation in tertiary education.

Mr Bencini hoped the “irresponsible leadership” of Air Malta would not mean employees would end up “sacrificed”.