The public sector is not bloated or over-staffed, but there is a need for upskilling of workers, General Workers Union secretary general Josef Bugeja said.

He stressed that Malta's growing and ageing population requires more nurses, carers, and teachers. Downsizing, he said, would be counterproductive, he said.

He however acknowledged the need for upskilling, however, and said that the GWU foresaw technological shifts and integrated competence-based salary increases into collective agreements decades ago.

The union has since established a branch dedicated to training in areas like AI, digitalisation, and cross-cultural communication, Bugeja said.

Bugeja was also asked if summer half-days for public sector workers should be eliminated, given that most private sector workers do not work half-days in summer and may rely on services provided by the government in the afternoon.

Bugeja said that as far as he knew, only 30% of public administration workers - not public sector workers, have summer half-days, accumulated through extra hours in winter. Others, like healthcare and passport office workers, work based on demand, Bugeja said.

"Flexibility and the art of compromise are the key," he said.

Bugeja said that when supermarkets began opening on Sundays, existing workers were allowed to maintain previous schedules, while new hires adapted.

On traffic-reduction measures, Bugeja emphasised the "art of compromise." He said GWU members involved in delivery services are already raising questions on the recently announced government measures to curb traffic, and that discussions with government and businesses are ongoing to define off-peak hours.

He said that he will not advocate for 2pm, for example, to be included as an "off-peak hour," as in summer, health authorities advise the public not to go out in the sun between 11am and 2pm, for health and safety reasons.

"No one should be working in that heat. Public health must be considered," he said, ruling out 2 pm as an acceptable delivery time.

He pointed to sectors like customs that already operate 24/7, saying that others can adapt with the right agreements.

Asked whether workers operating during off-peak hours will receive extra pay, Bugeja affirmed that this will be part of the negotiation process.

"If someone is working anti-social hours, the union will see to it that they get extra remuneration," Bugeja said.

However, Bugeja said that the perspective that all government workers work with summer half-days is "absolutely false," and said that he has no problem with summer half-days, and he will not be the one pushing for the system to change, saying that these workers are, "not taking anything from someone else."

Collective transport for industrial areas

The traffic problem, Bugeja said, is everyone's responsibility, because everyone is part of the problem.

"We complain about traffic, yet we will not ditch our cars. It is often our first investment, and we depend almost exclusively on it," Bugeja said.

Bugeja said that the GWU has proposed collective transport for workers in remote industrial zones like Hal Far, which are not reachable by public transport.

A pilot project showed success, but companies with the capacity for vehicles remain limited, Bugeja said.

He said that workers asked for a reliable, affordable, and punctual service, and the goal is to extend the initiative to Bulebel, Mriehel, and Mosta, covering all industrial areas.

Reforming the MCESD

The GWU is part of the Malta Council for Economic and Social Development (MCESD). Some critics have said that the council lacks impact, but Bugeja disagreed.

"It is not a talking shop," he said. Bugeja said that the MCESD was vital during discussions on the Covid-19 pandemic and the 2023 summer power cuts, for example.

He said that the MCESD meets nearly three times a month and influences policies, such as the Labour Migration Policy.

The council is now being reformed to become more relevant and better resourced, Bugeja said, adding that to make the MCESD more effective, there will be discussions on legislation to make the council more relevant for today's realities.

He also said that social partners like unions and employers need more expert support to put forth researched proposals and adopt informed positions.

Bugeja spoke of the GWU's longstanding push for a national vision, which led to the government adopting it into Malta's 2050 Vision, a strategic plan which must be a shared vision, and encapsulates the nation's aspirations.

Labour Migration Policy

Bugeja said the Labour Migration Policy, when implemented, will strike a balance between the need for foreign workers in various sectors and oversupply.

"Employers must first try to hire Maltese or EU workers. Only if unsuccessful should they turn to TCNs," he said.

Bugeja said that, however, the mistake made was that everyone was bringing in many foreign workers, wherever they may be from, whether the sector needed it or not.

"It does not stop at just bringing in the worker. That worker needs a guaranteed adequate pay and decent conditions," Bugeja said, otherwise, "we would be truly bringing in slaves."

"We need foreign workers in various sectors, which also depend on foreign workers," Bugeja said, adding that there are around 100,000 to 120,000 foreign workers in Malta.

He said that there are critical sectors, such as the health sector, which also need foreign workers. Bugeja said that the Maltese demographic in the country is decreasing, and so there are fewer people to work such jobs.

He also said that the Maltese also learn that they can aspire for better jobs than certain jobs that foreign workers end up taking up.

"Our mentality as a public is also that we teach our children to do better than us, that they have a guaranteed better future," Bugeja said, adding that it is inevitable that the Maltese do not want to do the jobs foreign workers usually do.

He said that over-recruitment leads to deteriorating conditions, and some employers hold excessive power.

Previously, a TCN had just 10 days to find a new job if dismissed by their employer, or risk deportation. This was extended to 60 days through the Labour Migration Policy, where the GWU had pushed for an extension.

"Without that window, some turned to the black economy, where they are more exploited," Bugeja said, adding that the extension also allows for a lower turnover of foreign workers, minimising those who are leaving only to bring another replacement.

He condemned exploitative employers who abuse foreign workers. "They are humans like us. I can never accept abuse," Bugeja said.

Asked about the relevance of Workers' Day, celebrated last Thursday, Bugeja said that this day is always relevant.

"We celebrate workers, not only for the advancements they made throughout the years, but for their past, present and future contributions, and the continuous work done today," Bugeja said.

Bugeja concluded that Workers' Day is a remembrance of what workers went through, and a commitment to keep moving and looking forward to the future.

The first part of the interview was carried in The Malta Independent on Sunday yesterday