A mere mention of the General Workers’ Union is enough to send shudders down the spine of some people – yet it must be commended for the stance it is taking on asylum seekers.

The union has slowly but surely tried to send the message that migrant workers are being exploited in Malta and that it (the union) is obliged to safeguard their interests. After all, they are workers.

Some might argue that this is a ploy to gain more members. But then again, what is wrong with that? The union has organised various seminars, press conferences and has issued various statements on the issue of racial discrimination.

Many others in Malta have held back, while others have even tried to sweep the issue under the carpet. This is wrong. The union has pointed out time and time again that black migrant workers are largely paid sub-standard wages and are also working in sub-standard conditions. No wonder some people point the finger and say that migrants are taking the jobs of the Maltese. But is it their fault? Of course it isn’t. The real fault lies with unscrupulous employers who employ migrants on a pittance. The law has been amended to increase penalties to those who are found to be employing people illegally, but more needs to be done.

Enforcement is lax. It is useless to have laws set in place, only for employers to breach them willy-nilly. If there are any who question whether or not there are illegally employed people, just park your car in Marsa and watch the trucks arrive. Black men are piled into the backs of trucks and are driven off somewhere to put in a grueling shift in return for a pittance.

The union has set up a foundation for migrants to inform them of their rights as workers in Malta. They have also set up training agencies and an office for them to turn to when in doubt.

The union also issued a statement yesterday calling for more restraint at nightlife establishments. They are very right. The union said it condemned violent acts on anyone, and again they are right.

While the GWU may not be everyone’s cup of tea, they can still at times be militant and this, we do not approve of. However, when they take up issues such as these – who many others have ignored – they deserve, at least, recognition for their efforts. Employment of migrants is a taboo subject, and many might be surprised to see that the GWU is taking the matter to task.

But tackle it they have, and although they have spoken quietly in subdued tones about it, they are one of the few organisations who have the courage to do so. The courage to say that it is not black migrants who are taking jobs of Maltese born nationals, the courage to point at those who unscrupulously pile black men into the back of a truck, pay them peanuts, and make them work without the necessary safety equipment. The General Workers’ Union should stay the course and keep pointing this out. The union is certainly living up to its name in this regard – a union for each and every worker in Malta.