Malta’s accession to the European Union is bringing about new concepts in the local industrial relations scene. For instance the amalgamation of continental Europe employment regulations is having an interesting impact on our traditional employment relations.
This new scenario is challenging industrial players to adapt to a better democratic culture in which effective employee participation is encouraged. The recent introduction of Legal Notice 10 of 2006 Employee (Information and Consultation) is a case in point. This regulation obliges employers to consult with their employees whenever drastic changes affecting working conditions are forecasted. This legal notice shall grant union officials and/or elected workers’ representatives access to information about the outlook of the enterprise.
It seems that local entrepreneurs are still reluctant when it comes to employee participation at this level. This is mainly due to Malta’s traditional way of practising ‘confrontational’ industrial relations. However it is not a question of us-and-them anymore but it is a question pulling the same rope for the sake of surpassing global market constraints.
Industrial relations, as with all kinds of relations, require trust. Soon employee representatives engaged in the consultative procedures as demanded by this legal notice shall increasingly be urged to preserve maximum confidentiality. Local entrepreneurs will obviously be concerned that by disclosing certain business information to employee representatives, it may be leaked into their competitors’ dossiers. To a certain extent, the same concept applies to collective bargaining dynamics, which have been successfully applied so far. Trust is of crucial importance and its careful maintenance definitely pays back.
The whole idea is challenging, since having employees with the right to access enterprise information is one thing and having employees who efficiently understand the information is another. Union officials or elected employee representatives must therefore have the ability to negotiate and to analyse financial statements such as company’s balance sheets. They must be knowledgeable in basic industrial legislation; understand their firm’s business plans and market objectives.
Education in this context is of utmost importance both for employees and HR managers. Organisations may invest in training personnel in achieving the right skills. Knowledgeable and participative employees shall be more committed towards the firm’s business goals.
Education on industrial relations seems to be gaining momentum in Malta. Seminars and courses organised both by unions and employers associations are ongoing. Nevertheless this discipline is represented at University level thanks to the Centre of Labour Studies. This centre, formerly known as Workers Participation Centre, organises part-time courses up to a Diploma level.
Set up in 1981, the centre is the oldest institute at the University of Malta. The centre also contributes to workplace democratisation by conducting research on the subject and by providing essential documentation and consultancy. Facilities for employee participation are there for all and thus organisations may opt to encourage their personnel to attend such useful educational services.
Employers need not be afraid of their employees’ participation since it may eventually result as the backbone of their market success.
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