30th April 2022Press Statement: Government should legislate to protect foreign workers from poor working conditions.
On the commemoration of Worker’s Day, The Left think – tank organisation Zminijietna urges the Government to close a loophole surrounding exploitation of food delivery couriers, domestic workers and assisted migrants.
“In relation to all this, the Government is still procrastinating to introduce legislation to recognise food delivery couriers as employees, stated Zminijietna – Voice of the Left.
Zminijietna added “that all workers should be entitled for a secure monthly salary, the right to sick leave and leave, and the right to collective bargaining. The country of Spain and Portugal had already introduced legislation to address these issues”.
Furthermore, Zminijietna insists that “the Government should be more progressive in terms of mandatory unionisation, and for an adequate minimum wage”.
“Flexi-curity in the labour market should be the way forward, rather than flex-exploitation. Malta should not use foreign workers as a means to lower working conditions and rights”.
“New legislation should also encourage flexible work scheduling, so the workers have the ability and rights to adjust the days and hours of being in the office and also to work remotely”.
With regards to inflation, Zminijietna urges MCESD to support the Government to formulate a more realistic cost of living mechanism. On a positive note, the Government’s decision to keep energy and commodity prices stable helped to keep inflation in Malta, amongst the lowest in Europe.
David PisaniPRO Zminijietna – Voice of the Left
Stqarrija għall-Istampa: Il-Gvern għandu jilleġiżla biex jipproteġi lill-ħaddiema barranin minn kundizzjonijiet ħżiena tax-xogħol.
Fit-tifkira ta’ Jum il-Ħaddiem, l-Organizazzjoni Xellugija Zminijietna qed tħeġġeġ lill-Gvern biex jagħlaq lakuna li qed tagħti access għall-isfruttament ta’ ħaddiema barranin fosthom food delivery couriers, ħaddiema domestici u immigranti assistiti.
“B’rabta ma’ dan kollu, il-Gvern għadu qed jitrattjeni biex idaħħal ligi li tikklassifika l-‘food delivery couriers’ bħala ħaddiema b’impjieg fiss, stqarret Zminijietna – Leħen ix-Xellug.
Żminijietna żiedet tgħid “li kull ħaddiem għandu jkun protett b’pagament fix-xahar, id-dritt għal sik lif u lif, u d-dritt li jissieħeb f’unjin. Il-pajjiż ta’ Spanja u l-Portugall daħlu diversi liġijiet biex jindirizzaw dawn il-kwistjonijiet”.
Barra minn hekk, Żminijietna tinsisti li “l-Gvern għandu jkun aktar progressiv f’dak li għandu x’jaqsam ma’ unijin mandatorja, u għal paga minima adegwata”.
“Flessibilitá b’sigurtá fis-suq tax-xogħol għandha tkun it-triq ‘il quddiem, aktar milli flex-esplojtazzjoni. Malta m’għandhiex tuża ħaddiema barranin bħala mezz biex tnaqqas il-kundizzjonijiet u d-drittijiet tax-xogħol”.
“Politika progressiva għandha tinkoraġġixxi sigħat tax-xogħol aktar flessibbli, sabiex il-ħaddiema jkollhom il-kapaċità u d-dritt li jgħazlu huma l-ġranet u s-sigħat li jaħdmu mil-uffiċċju, u s-sigħat li jaħdmu li l’hinn mil-ufficcju”.
Fir-rigward ta’ l-inflazzjoni, Żminijietna tħeġġeġ lill-MCESD biex tagħti appoġġ lill-Gvern biex jifformula mekkaniżmu aktar realistiku tal-għoli tal-ħajja. Fuq nota pożittiva, id-deċiżjoni tal-Gvern li jzomm stabbli il-prezzijiet tal-enerġija u kommoditajiet essenzjali għenet biex l-inflazzjoni f’Malta tinżamm fost l-inqas fl-Ewropa.
David PisaniUfficjal Relazzjonijiet PubbliciZminijietna – Leħen ix-Xellug.