Union Haddiema Maghqudin secretary-general Gejtu Vella yesterday expressed his optimism for the future of employment in Malta, with several large projects coming Malta’s way, but at the same time expressed his disappointment with certain difficulties people are facing at work.
Speaking during the union’s celebrations to mark Worker’s Day, Mr Vella said that the Maltese should not be discouraged about the future. He mentioned large projects such as SmartCity and the plans unveiled by Lufthansa, as well as several projects by other companies that are planning to increase their operations in Malta.
“This is an important day for workers and for the country. Malta is realising that there are new opportunities that we can exploit and be successful. The country is changing and modernising. Today we are celebrating because there are major projects coming Malta’s way that translate into new employment opportunities for the Maltese. Don’t let anyone discourage us about change but we must ensure that we do all we can to give these people a return on their investment, because nowadays it’s easy for companies to pack up and leave the country and transfer their operation to another country,” he said.
On the other hand, said Mr Vella, there are several problems people are facing at work on a daily basis, and he spoke about the need to address these problems.
He said the union had recently written to the Prime Minister to investigate claims that the price of certain medicines will be increasing drastically, some even by around 40 per cent. “We want the government to investigate because it is eating away at people’s standard of living,” he said.
Turning to the new Mater Dei Hospital, Mr Vella said that while it is nice to have an new, modern hospital that meets everyone’s needs, it was disappointing that the union, among others, still has no idea what is being expected of the staff who will be going to work there. “We constantly promote constructive social dialogue but we need to be given information. We need to know what is happening,” he said.
Similarly, he said, the union is still in the dark about the port reform and what is happening in their field. “If things remain as they are, the UHM will have no option but to act as a union,” he warned.
Even the Monti hawkers, Mr Vella said, have been told they will be relocated and that they will not be operating from where they have been operating for several years but they still do not know what is going to happen.
“The 1st May is a day of
celebration but also a day of disappointments because of these questions. The UHM will continue working in the best interests of workers, which-ever government is in office and whoever the employer. We do not go to celebrate Worker’s Day with political parties because we do not look at politics. We believe in promoting sectorial interests but always in the context of the national interest,” he concluded.
Earlier, the UHM launched the Antoine Azzopardi Health and Safety Award, which will be awarded to anyone who promotes health and safety at the workplace. Mr Azzopardi, a former UHM official, passed away last year. He studied health and safety practices and worked to put these principles into practice in the workplace.
UHM heads, as well as those of the Malta Union of Bank Employees, the Confederation of Maltese Trade Unions and the Lotto Receivers’ Union, placed wreaths at the foot of the bust of Salvinu Spiteri, a founder member of the Union Haddiema Maghqudin.