Partit Demokratiku today said it stands for equity and is intolerant to discrimination among sexes. “We demand that the next budget is a gender sensitive budget that should also hold to the principle of equal pay for equal work. It is a must that the private sector follows,” PD said.
Malta should be in the lead in ensuring equal pay for equal work and we should all make it a point to increase further female participation in our work force. The forthcoming budget should aim to close the wage gap between men and women. Furthermore, Partit Demokratiku also called on the government to ensure that workers working at the same scale have the same conditions and salary packages. It is unfortunate to note that low and near middle scale workers who are employed with the government services as civil servants, as self employed on contract, IPSL, FMS, FES or as employees of a contractor do not enjoy same benefits.
Partit Demokratiku agrees with the proposal that work on Sundays and Public holidays should be compensated with double and triple pay respectively. This should be obligatory. Equity is a one size fits all principle. It is high time that Public holidays taken away by a previous PN administration should be given back to the workers as extra leave. This was promised by the Labour Party in the run up to the election. PD expects that government honours its promise early in its legislature.
Partit Demokratiku also noted that the rise in residential rents did not slow down nor does it look like it is ever going to slow down. Those on minimum wage or at the lower bracket of middle class are struggling to make ends meet. PD is still of the opinion that Alleanza Kontra l-Faqar’s proposal of the 10% increase in minimum wage is the only way to mitigate the rise in rents and in cost of living. In this respect , PD calls MCCAA, the authority set up to ensure fair competition and to protect consumers’ rights to take immediate and effective action, as it is failing miserably, as housing is a fundamental human right, and this authority is playing to the tune of government.