While agreeing with the contents of Charles Micallef’s letter (TMID, 22 May) I cannot help expressing my disappointment at the way things are developing with regard to the working conditions of various sectors of Maltese workers.

We frequently hear about industrial disputes in the public sector with unions threatening the government with industrial action, but we rarely hear of any discordant noises in the private sector. It is curious that the sector which enjoys the best working conditions is always asking for more while employees in the private sector, where conditions of work still lag behind, have to struggle and worry about the day when their company will no longer need their services or leave the island.

It is obvious that the unions are only active in the public sector, knowing that politically it has leverage over the employer and somehow will get what they want as there is always our money to make good. It is not so with the private sector, which has to remain competitive if it wants to survive in this global economy.

It is clearly emerging that the government, pushed by the unions, is creating two classes of workers. The privileged, who of course work in the public sector, and the underdog, who ironically enough is labelled as the engine of the economy.

Is this proper? Is it right that the public sector, the teaching profession in particular, who enjoy the best conditions, is always asking for more while private sector employees are always waiting for the axe to fall on their heads? Is it fair that our taxes go to satisfy the greed of the public employees who have still to learn to put in a day’s work? It would be interesting to know for example the yearly hours worked by the teaching profession and their rate per hour. Of course I am excluding private lessons or other extra work for which they have ample time. Does it make sense economically that public employees still have the luxury of half days in summer, when we have to face great competition from foreign countries?

This great divide is the cause of great acrimony among the working classes and it is up to the government to ensure that it is elected to act for all workers and not to just cater for its employees only. It should also take into consideration other sectors of workers so as to minimise differences in the working conditions of different working groups. Certain conditions of work, even those announced in the last budget, are applicable only for government employees as the private sector cannot afford to be burdened with additional costs. Many of our factories are already being enticed by lower costs to Asian countries. The government has to be careful not to sow the seeds of resentment among sectors of workers. Malta is too small to have differences in the working conditions of its workforce, the more so when improved conditions of a section of workers are paid for out of the taxpayers’ money.

CARMEL CAMILLERI

Paola