The Low Wage Commission will submit recommendations to government regarding a revision of the minimum wage by the end of the year, Parliamentary Secretary Andy Ellul revealed in a press conference on Tuesday.

The Low Wage Commission, which has now been formally established, is charged with issuing recommendations every four years.

The Commission will be presided over by David Xuereb, the chairperson of the Malta Council for Economic and Social Development (MCESD), and will have representatives of the unions and employers, as well as representatives of the government.

Ellul said that "minimum pay increases every year because of rising prices, thanks to the Cost of Living Adjustment mechanism, or COLA, but the truth is that these increases don't take into the account everything that is necessary."

"For that reason, in 2017, the government signed an agreement with various social partners, where for the first time, the minimum wage increased beyond mere COLA mechanisms," Ellul said.

"To make sure that this all occurs in the most professional manner, the Commission will be regulated by legislation," Ellul said.

"As a government we felt the need to provide this commission with the tools necessary to work Thus, in this law, which is being published today, we have made it possible for this Commission to engage experts, who can assist with specific calculations and analyses in relation to the recommendations of this Commission," Andy Ellul said.

"There are many competing interests that need to be accommodated, but compromises have always been found and will continue to be found."

He mentioned that the government represents both the worker and the employer and thus it has to ensure that while it does not place great burdens on businesses, every worker must have enough income to live a decent life.

He also added that "this is not merely a step towards a more just society, but also one towards social dialogue."

Ellul pointed out that "we are discussing this measure today because we have a positive economic climate in our country, despite the international problems that we're all aware of."

"While other countries are pressing forward with austerity measures, such as in France, this is not the case in our country as we have always looked out for the public interest."