For the benefit of your younger readers who have not the faintest idea of what living under a socialist regime means, and for the greater benefit of those not so young union leaders who have forgotten what they can expect from the General Workers’ Union (GWU) if a Labour government is returned to power, I am reproducing some quotations which are lifted word for word from “A Chronicle of Twentieth Century Malta” written by Messrs Joseph Bonnici and Michael Cassar.
Page 352, 22 March 1972: The (Emergency Labour) Corps is being set up in view of the high unemployment rate – the highest since 1966… Dr V. Tabone for the opposition claims the corps will deprive workers of the right to join a trade union.
Page 367, 15 January 1974: With OPEC and Arab countries using oil as a weapon in the war against Israel, Malta suffers with the rest of the world, economising on street lighting initially and raising fuel prices in the New Year. Petrol goes up from 20c4 to 50c… diesel from 9c4 to 22c per gallon.
Page 391, 7 February and 8 March 1977. Malta’s 200 bakers strike in support of a claim for higher profits … Army personnel with a knowledge of baking were drafted to work in bakeries that had been requisitioned by the government. Six feasts will cease to be considered as holidays of obligation when they fall on weekdays … The Holy See had no option but to comply with the government decision.
Page 392, 3 June 1977: On 3 June doctors are locked out of St Luke’s Hospital … Doctors are given a three-day deadline during which they have to indicate whether they are prepared to comply with the new amendment. When this expires, the doctors are dismissed from government service and 130 others are prevented from practicing privately.
1 July same page: The banks’ managements warn employees that sympathy industrial action ran counter to their work contract; they threaten them with suspension from work… Some 850 are suspended on 4 July and loans they have with their banks are called in on 1 August … other categories of workers who were asked to sign declarations that they would ignore their unions’ call for partial industrial actions … led to further suspensions.
Page 396: On 6 April it was announced that religious activities in government schools will no longer take place during lesson time. Page 397: After 1 November the use of the words Malta and Nazzjon by organisations or in relation to certain publications will be restricted … 258 requests (to use these words) were refused.
The first page of L-Orizzont published on 17 July 1977 boldly informs its readers that the strikes mentioned above were financed by industrialists and businessmen.
Page 394: University students chain themselves to the railings at the Auberge de Castille … three students were injured and 23 arrested … President Buttigieg and Minister Philip Muscat walk out during the graduation ceremony…
Page 401: British journalists barred … Kai Uwe Von Hassel expelled …
I can go on for ever…
Giov. DeMartino
MOSTA