It is not factual or fair to state that the formation of a Trades Union Council would be a threat to workers.

In the United Kingdom, the role of the TUC is a pro-active one and it has good relations with several entrepreneurs and manufacturers that offer good working conditions to their employees. In fact, in the last 10 years, more than 2,500 companies have realised working with unions makes sound business sense and have chosen to recognise the TUC. In Malta, this progressive line of thinking is still unaccepted.

Unity among the unions through the formation of a TUC helps to develop more communication and coordination between the unions, the management and the workers, increase work efficiency, improve job conditions and health and safety regulations.

This will also help the unions to organise themselves to seek more funds for retraining schemes.

We support Godfrey Baldacchino from the Centre for Labour Studies, Department of Sociology at the University of Malta in his appeal to the trade unions to organise themselves on what unites them rather than resorting to conflict between them.

Autonomy from political parties should be a policy of a TUC. We also support the General Workers’ Union, Forum and all organisations, including the Labour Party and Alternattiva Demokratika – the Green party, that declared themselves in favour of the creation of a Malta TUC.