Partit Demokratiku stands for equity: demands for the next budget

The Partit Demokratiku's demands for the forthcoming budget include equity, intolerance of discrimination and what could be done about the rise in residential rents 

"Malta should be in the lead in ensuring equal pay for equal work"

Partit Demokratiku has called for equity in its proposals for the upcoming budget, insisting that it was intolerant to discrimination among sexes.

The PD insisted that Budget 2018 should be gender sensitive and that it should also hold to the principle of equal pay for equal work. It is a must that the private sector follows.

It said that Malta should be in the lead in ensuring this standard and we should all make it a point to increase further female participation in the Maltese workforce. The forthcoming budget, therefore, should aim to close the wage gap between men and women.

Partit Demokratiku also calls on the government to ensure that employees working at the same scale should have the same conditions and salary packages. They note that low and near middle-scale workers, who are employed with the government services as civil servants, as self-employed on contract, IPSL, FMS, FES or as employees of a contractor do not enjoy the same benefits.

The PD said it agreed with the proposal that work on Sundays and public holidays should be compensated with double and triple pay, respectively; a point, they believe, should be obligatory.

"It is high time that public holidays, taken away by a previous PN administration, should be given back to the workers as extra leave. This was promised by the Labour Party in the run up to the election and PD expects that the government honours its promise early in its legislature."

It noted that the rise in residential rents did now slow down, nor does it look like it is ever going to slow down. Those on minimum wage or at the lower bracket of middle-class are struggling to make ends meet.

The PD was still of the opinion that Alleanza Kontra l-Faqar’s proposal of the 10% increase in minimum wage is the only way to mitigate the rise in rents and cost of living. In this respect, the party called on the Competition Authority, MCCAA, to take immediate and effective action: "The authority is failing miserably in this respect. Housing is a fundamental human right and this authority is playing to the tune of the government."

The party went on to add that the party stood for "humane politics".