The Union Haddiema Maghqudin will, in the coming weeks, issue its own proposals for the three political parties to consider before they draw up their electoral manifestos.

“We do not wait for the parties to deliver their promises, but carry forward our own proposals,” said secretary general Gejtu Vella yesterday while addressing the union’s pensioners’ section.

The secretary general said the five policy documents adopted by the UHM during its general meeting were a clear signal that the union was a main catalyst for reforms in the country. “We cannot stay moaning about things; we should take action, listen to the people and make suggestions: that is today’s trade unionism.”

Mr Vella pointed out that the union had been on the forefront of the debate on whether Malta should join the EU. “The UHM had issued a document on the cost of not entering the EU, and results have proved us right,” he said, referring to the economic growth experienced since membership. To this end, said Mr Vella, the UHM was strongly in favour of Malta adopting the euro.

The single European currency, said Mr Vella, guaranteed that no government in the future could ignore growing public debts and inflation. Mr Vella also referred to worries that people might abuse of the dual-pricing mechanism while the lira and euro are in circulation in January 2008. “Instead of worrying about the issue,” stated Mr Vella, “the UHM tendered for and won a contract on price-monitoring that will ensure that Maltese consumers are not ripped off.”

The UHM, said Mr Vella, was also active in the SmartCity debate. He stressed the importance of projects that generated work, as “Malta is a country built on hard work and skills.” That is why the UHM was very strong on proposing the social pact, which was favourable for workers, the country and in attracting foreign investment, he said.

Mr Vella said the union was 41 years old and had never stopped growing. As a result, it had recently hired additional section secretaries and bought a flat adjacent to the union’s headquarters in Floriana to expand its office space.