New GWU boss wants union to be ‘social voice in neoliberal world’

Former GWU secretary-general Tony Zarb and new secretary-general Josef Bugeja

The General Workers' Union must be a "social voice in an increasingly neoliberal and globalised world", its new secretary general said. 

"The EU and other global institutions must become more open to trade-unionism, and I am convinced that the GWU can influence other countries as well as Malta," Josef Bugeja told the union's national conference. "Together, everything is possible."

Bonnici, who replaces long-standing secretary general Tony Zarb, called on the left-wing union to become a more "pro-active" social movement and for all present to become "catalysts for change and discussion".

He announced a study on how union shop stewards can be trained and financially compensated, and called for further investment in research on how the union can become more "creative and innovative" when negotiating collective agreements.

Bonnici said that employers must recognize that granting better conditions to their employees is a win-win situation. 

"We must remind employers that their profit isn't solely thanks to themselves, but thanks to all their employees. We must remind them that workers' salaries are an investment, not a burden. Ultimately, better work conditions lead to increased efficiency, productivity and competitiveness."

With only 50% of Maltese employees currently represented by a union, Bonnici sees plenty of room for the GWU to expand.

“Every worker has a right to join a trade union,” he said.

GWU president hits out at Western military intervention in foreign nations 

Earlier, GWU president Victor Carachi urged Western countries to “learn from their mistakes” in militarily intervening in other nations “on the premise of removing a dictator”.

“Not all countries are ready to adopt a Western-styled democracy, and besides true democracy cannot be obtained through revolution,” he said.

He pointed out that the majority of refugees currently entering Europe hail from Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan and Libya – all countries in which the West has backed regime change since the turn of the millennium.

“The ISIS threat must be taken seriously, but the West should stop meddling in the internal affairs of other countries,” he said, in what appeared to be a veiled display of support for Syrian president Bashar al-Assad. “After all, the US invasion of Iraq led to an enhanced internal conflict that provided a ripe breeding ground for ISIS.”

He urged the EU to pressure the United Nations into establishing peace and order in refugees’ countries of origin, and the UN to set up adequate asylum centres near the entry points and to gain control over the global arms industry.