The government seems to be impotent regarding the problems part-time workers were facing, Karl Chircop, Labour Party spokesman for social protection, said.

The number of part-time workers has ballooned, reaching 47,516, according to figures issued by the Nationalist Statistics Office. Dr Chircop said this meant an increase of 3,561 part-time jobs. The number of employees holding down a full-time and a part-time job went up by 1,312, and those having only a part-time job amounted to 2,014

Part-time workers faced poor working conditions, did not have leave, or sick-leave, and were being denied other pro rata conditions. The majority of part-time employees were women and they were being discriminated against. Part-time workers were, at present, nothing but a political football, serving only as propaganda for the Nationalist Party to boast about the number of people in employment.

On the other hand, Dr Chircop added, unemployment has gone up to 6,590 in August.