In its message for 1 May, ‘Worker’s Day’, Żminijietna – Voice of the Left said, that we should reflect on the present situation that the working people are facing in Malta. According to European statistics precarious employment is becoming the norm and it is increasing in an alarming manner.

Precarious employment is a continuous threat to the present and future working generations and their families. Precarious job is that type of work, where there is no job security, low wages, lack of health and safety and inferior working conditions. Workers face also difficulty in making use of bank services. Such jobs are part-time employment, work on a fixed contract, self-employed and agency workers.

ETUC and ILO consider ‘atypical’ jobs as precarious employment and are organising various campaigns to raise awareness against this new type of culture of modern slavery brought forward by neo-liberal policies. In fact the Chairman of the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC), John Monks has appealed so that this type of employment should only be the exemption and not the rule in the European labour market.

Żminijietna – Voice of the Left recognises the right of the workers and trade unions to keep on the pressure against precarious employment. It’s a shame that the Malta Employers’ Association, Chamber of Commerce and the Federation of Industries are pushing forward this type of employment. Their perspectives focus more on productivity and competitiveness, while various studies show that workers employed in precarious conditions, are less productive due to their unstable employment and less job satisfaction.

Żminijietna appeals to the Nationalist administration in government to work directly in conjunction with the Workers’ Directorate and trade unions to legislate new laws and regulations to suppress precariousness.

David Pisani

Żminijietna – Voice of the Left

Valletta