The first mention of a Trade Union Council is found in Malta's first self-governing Constitution which came into force in May 1921. The Constitution provided for two members from the Trade Union Council to be represented in the Senate. The Trade Union Council was effectively not constituted at the time and its formation later was mainly dysfunctional. Over the years the idea of a Trade Union Council as a central body which brings trade unions together has re-emerged. The most recent mention of the possibility to set-up a Trade Union Council by the trade unions themselves dates back to 20 years ago.
When the renewed leadership of the CMTU in 2006 expressed the idea of an expansion of the confederation, the other two confederations, the GWU and For.U.M were quick in their reactions by claiming that they are not seeing any possibility to join CMTU whilst not ruling out the setting-up of a national Trade Union Council. Similar calls were also made during the subsequent years by a number of unions including the Malta Union of Teachers. These calls were intensified during the protests on the rise of electricity bills in 2008 which saw the confederations united in Valletta's demonstrations.
During the same period, the Għaqda Unions Maltin was established as a common voice of trade unions opposing the government's rise in energy tariffs. It was hoped that this movement would lead to the formation of a Trade Union Council. The idea was supported by John Monks, one of the most influential trade union leaders at the time, who served as the General Secretary of the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC). This movement did not lead to the formation of a Trade Union Council and no recorded fresh calls have been made ever since.
The idea of a Trade Union Council was possibly not communicated or understood well at the time, and possibly even nowadays. A Trade Union Council is not a trade union and it is not a confederation. The independence of both is retained. A Trade Union Council is a coordinating body which may bring together different unions and their confederations, acting as a collective voice of their common issues. It is an umbrella organisation composed of the respective unions and consequently their members.
Trade unions have a stronger voice when united in a central body. They can develop common positions to safeguard the rights of workers through improved legislation, representations in national and international fora, and by developing common positions on social and economic matters. They would safeguard the interests of trade unions whilst promoting democratic trade union practices. They would defend freedom of association and collective bargaining rights, co-ordinate research, policy development and monitor trends affecting employees. A Trade Union Council would facilitate dialogue and address disputes amongst trade unions. It can lead to consensus in the formulation and the adoption of a code of ethics of trade unions It can also strengthen the voice of trade unions as a single block when dealing with the government and with other social partners.
The formation of a Trade Union Council will find opposition. The government does not want a united trade union block and often gets trade unions against each other for its benefits. Employers and their associations do not want united trade unions for the perceived risks in their productivity through increased benefits to employees. Meanwhile employers' associations often have common fronts and positions and are at times more united than trade unions. Trade unions, at times, try to expand their membership base by enrolling members who are traditionally based within another union, thus challenging recognition.
The latter challenges are not encouraging to the formation of a Trade Union Council but the benefits which would be brought about by the Council should encourage fresh attempts at its formation.
Marco Bonnici is President of the Malta Union of Teachers