A resolution passed unanimously yesterday by the General Workers’ Union’s national council says the union is prepared to work with the government which would be ready to implement proposals carried in the memorandum it passed to the political parties, and which would be ready to respect its operations.

Workers, the resolution says, should be careful not to be deceived; those who were irresponsible and deceived workers were not fit to be in government; and the government should be efficient, accountable and transparent.

Whichever party was in government should have a strategic plan with a priority of creating employment. And the government, as the country’s largest employer, should be a model in the industrial relations field, meaning it should certainly not trample on conditions of work and intervene when there was a danger that they would be weakened.

Neither should the government, the resolution says, interfere arbitrarily in industrial relations, in breach of industrial legislation, as had happened, for instance, in the issue of days of leave which fall on a weekend. The union is calling for the new government to revoke the measure that led to this.

The new government should have a clear and sustainable policy for public bodies such as Malta Shipyards Ltd, Enemalta and Air Malta. It should continue developing the information technology and the financial services sectors, among others but the manufacturing sector should not only not be given up, but improved.

The tourism sector should be a priority and Gozo should be given all the assistance it needed for investment to be attracted and create employment.

More women should be encouraged to take up jobs, and the exploitation of foreign workers should be looked into.

The resolution says that the GWU was insisting that no political party should make promises it knew it could not keep. It was unacceptable for workers to be given promises which are not then honoured.