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Matthew Vella
The Maltese worker works less than the 48 hours in an average week, data by the National Statistics Office confirm, a disarming figure that says much about the storm in a teacup conjured by unions, employers and political parties over the retention of the opt-out clause for the island’s economic development.
Employers are however saying the data confirms the Maltese economy is not working to full capacity, consequently reducing the demand for labour.
In a rare exhibition of national consensus, the majority of political and social entities in Malta are united in favour of retaining the Working Time Directive’s opt-out clause, an agreement that allows employees to work beyond the 48-hour weekly limit.
There is however little to suggest whether Maltese workers risk losing much from the removal of the opt-out, a proposal which enjoys the support of the European Parliament, mainly from socialists, communists and greens.
In fact, the Maltese full-time worker averages a weekly toll of less than 41 hours every week, according to the Labour Force Survey for the first three months of 2005.
The least hours worked are those in the fishing sector, with full-time workers notching up 28.8 hours over the week, whilst part-time workers work 25 hours over the week. Workers in education come next with 33 hours in the week.
Malta’s most overworked employees are those in the mining and quarrying sectors, with 51 hours worked within a week. They are followed by those in the agricultural sector, and employees in extra-territorial organisations and bodies. No figures for women employees were available in these three sectors.
The Federation of Industry’s director-general Wilfred Kenely has however told MaltaToday that the Maltese economy was currently not experiencing full capacity in the manufacturing and services sector.
“This has led to a decrease in overtime and therefore in total working hours. When the economy is going at a faster pace, a situation which we aspire to, then this average will increase and we would not want to be in a situation where the labour law does not allow for that.”
Kenely also said the proposed Directive sets out limitations against the objectives of the Lisbon Agenda, the EU plan for greater economic growth.
The opt-out clause, allowing employees to work more than 48 hours a week, was voted down by the European Parliament in a proposal forwarded by socialist MEP Alejandro Cercas. The European Commission supports the retention of the opt-out clause, and is now proposing that the opt-out clause will be removed by 2012, with Member States being able to request an extension.
“The FOI strongly believes the opt-out clause will give more flexibility to both. Flexibility in working arrangements has become crucial for the competitiveness of Maltese companies and timely delivery of a service and therefore, ultimately, serves the interests of workers too,” Kenely says.
Countries like the United Kingdom and Malta want to retain the opt-out, believing it to be an important means of flexibility for employers to increase productivity, and for workers to work as much as they like.
In reality, the removal of the opt-out does not prohibit workers from shifting from one employer to another after exceeding the 48-hour limit. Opponents of the opt-out believe it should be removed for health and safety concerns for workers, apart from other reasons.
The Nationalist Party had a field day when Labour MEP John Attard Montalto (PES) abstained from taking a definite vote on the Cercas report, after it had been expected that all Maltese MEPs would be voting against the report, which called for the removal of the opt-out.
matthew@newsworksltd.com
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