In its proposals for a restructuring of the Malta Council for Economic and Social Development (MCESD), the General Workers Union had completely eliminated government participation, with secretary-general Tony Zarb saying that the social partners would thus be able to speak and express their opinions more freely at meetings of the consultative council.
Replying to questions from The Malta Independent, Mr Zarb said the social partners would feel more comfortable expressing their opinions on certain matters without the presence of government officials. Moreover, he said, the government representatives who sit on the MCESD “are there to fill the empty chairs”.
Mr Zarb explained that the union’s proposals for a restructured MCESD are based on the European model of such institutions.
He said the union believed that the MCESD should be seen as an effective tool for meaningful social dialogue, rather than as a talking shop or a powerless institution, as some people described it.
Another proposal from the GWU is that when an issue is discussed, the MCESD chairman presents the Prime Minister with a report outlining the position and opinion of each council member, which would then be made public.
Mr Zarb said the union was proposing that the MCESD be divided into three groups: employers, employees and civil society. He said each of these groups would have seven members and the MCESD chairman would be chosen from among these members on a group rotation system.
Employers would be represented by the Federation of Industries, the Malta Employers Association, the Malta Chamber of Small and Medium Sized Businesses, the Malta Hotels and Restaurants Association, the Chamber of Commerce, the Gozo Chamber of Commerce and another organisation.
The employees would be represented by three representatives of the GWU, three representatives of the Confederation of Maltese Trade Unions and the Union Haddiema Maghqudin and one person representing FORUM, which comprises eight unions or workers’ associations.
The civil society representatives would cover women and gender equality, young people, pensioners, the disabled, consumers, social and environment organisations and professionals.
The union suggested that the seven people in each of the groups would be approved by the Prime Minister and that the chairman would be chosen from among the 21 members for a period of two years.
Moreover, the union also proposed a number of other people who would sit at MCESD as observers, including the Forum Malta fl-Ewropa, the Director of Employment and Industrial Relations, the National Statistics Office, the Central Bank, ministries, the Employment and Training Corporation and Malta Enterprise.
Mr Zarb said the union believed that the MCESD should meet at least once a month and the various sub-committees discussing specific subjects should meet as required.