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Cottonera project attracts foreign workers, but not Maltese …

Cottonera, the project which was planned to serve as a godsend for the jobless, has attracted a workforce of Sri Lankans and Yugoslavians , but not Maltese.

Although it is still not known what wages the foreign workers are being offered, Maltese workers are said to have not been available for the work.
In February 2001, there were 6,704 registered unemployed, of which 2,102 were men under 30 years of age.
On Friday a MaltaToday reporter and photographer descended on Cottonera to see the foreign workers in action for themselves.
It was Tony Zarb, the General Workers’ Union chief who had said that there were illegal immigrants and employees working in Malta in horrendous conditions.
Mr Zarb failed to pinpoint particular contractors which were in breech of the law, but told MaltaToday that such cases have become widespread in the construction industry, including government projects.
He also mentioned that these incidents have become widespread in the hotel industry, where illegal employees are hidden since they work in kitchens or in dumping areas.
"There seems to be something organised in the country," he said. "These people are treated like slaves, and have terrible working conditions. This is not something which the union can act upon but the government must take a stand on the issue. Now that we have entered the new millennium, it is not acceptable to see organised slavery, with employees sleeping in garages."
At Cottonera, MaltaToday spoke to the Construction Manager at Scamp’s Palace, Sascha Torborob, who explained that AX Holdings Limited was responsible for the work being carried out on site.
Mr Torborob, stressed that all the workers had the required permits. When asked whether the amount of expatriate workers could lead to people assuming they were illegal immigrants, he said that the company had over 60 employees, a substantial number of which were foreigners.
He also commented that government permits take a long time to be processed.
MaltaToday also spoke to Tonio Farrugia, Administrative Director at AX Holdings, who explained that the company employs expatriates from Yugoslavia and Sri Lanka, with the appropriate working permits.
"We go through a very well organised international agency which provides us with the supply of labour we require," he said. "However, I have no doubt that what Mr Zarb said is the truth."
Mr Farrugia mentioned that there is an ongoing dispute with the Federation of Building Contractors about the issue.
"There are cases, when our expatriate workers, who have full permits are poached by other contractors, leaving us with a short supply of labour and the bill for bringing them over in accordance with the law," he commented. "This, when the application process is lengthy and sometimes takes up to six months to complete."
A spokesman for the Ministry of Social Policy told Malta Today that Mr Zarb’s allegation would be followed up by three Inspectorates, the Employment and Training Corporation, the Labour Department and the Health and Safety Unit.
"A report on the issue of people working without the proper permits and papers has been launched and it will be followed up by ad hoc spot checks," he said.
The Ministry’s spokesman stressed that if there were any such employees working on government construction projects, they were employed with a construction company which was commissioned by the administration.
Mr Zarb’s speech was made on 1 May specifically to raise awareness about the issue on Workers’ Day. The GWU chief said that he also brought the issue up when the social partners met with the Archbishop.