The General Workers Union this morning presented its proposals for next year’s budget, which include giving workers back all their public holidays, giving out the COLA increase twice a year and extending sick leave for cancer patients.
“The government should give workers back all public holidays which fell on a weekend. This was a measure introduced in 2005, when economic growth was slow, but it should be reverted back seeing that the economy is now doing well,” Mr Bugeja said.
The General Workers Union is proposing that minimum wage earners receive an additional bonus, which would help ease their situation without resorting to the ripple effect that would result from a wage increase. “We are aware that an increase of the minimum wage would have an upwards ripple effect and all wages would have to be revised. Therefore we are urging the government to give an additional contribution to struggling minimum wage earners. This would be a short-term solution and the discussion on the revision of the minimum wage still needs to be held,” Mr Bugeja said.
The union said it was against the abuse of the welfare state but put forward a number of proposals to strengthen the social services. This included the revision of pensions and means testing.
Mr Bugeja said the Cost of Living Adjustment increase should be equal for everyone and the revision of pensions should be calculated on the current salary rather than the difference between the current salary and the highest salary earned. For those born before 1961 the calculations should be based on the previous 20 years. The COLA should be given twice a year, he said.
Other proposals include giving special paid leave to cancer patients, while suspending their mortgage payments. Urgent family leave should also be extended for single parents and carers.
The GWU also believes that the state should do more to provide open recreational areas. “The government should also ensure that beach concession rules are being adhered to at all times,” it said, pointing out that the problem of a lack of beach space due to private concessions was spread across the entire country.
The government should also invest more in the manufacturing sector and provide training to workers, giving them the opportunity to improve their situation.
It was also high time for the government and the social partners to study the impact of the introduction of the living wage.
Mr Bugeja said another important proposal would ensure that contract workers have the same pay and conditions as the place of work they are engaged at. Equal pay (and conditions) for equal work.
The union is also saying that, workers who do not have their contracts renewed but have a clean record should be the first ones to be called back by their employers if their services are needed.
The GWU Secretary General said police officers still work six unpaid hours every week, on top of their forty hours. The union is urging the government to rectify this injustice.
The union is also proposing that tertiary education students who decide to chance their course after completing their first year should still receive a stipend. Those who opt for vocational courses should receive the same treatment. The government is also being urged to continue incentivising apprenticeships.
Another proposal is to create a second time buyer’s scheme for those who missed out on the first time buyer’s scheme. The latter should also be continued. There should also be monitoring of the rent market to fight abuse and the government should increase rent subsidies for low income families.
There are many empty properties that cannot be put on the rent market because the owners do not have the capital to finish them to acceptable standards. The government should consider launching a scheme to rent these properties, improve their standards and use them as social housing.
Photos: Jonathan Borg