Employers, workers’ unions unite to condemn xenophobia

Malta’s trade unions and employers association have joined forces in condemning discrimination against foreigners at the place of work.

The press conference, integration through employment, brought together the Malta Chamber of Commerce, the General Workers Union, the Malta Developers Association, Union Ħaddiema Magħqudin, the GRTU, the CMTU and FORUM.

Half of all new jobs being created in Malta are being taken up by foreign nationals, Chamber president Anton Borg said, adding that there were around 25,000 registered foreign workers on the island.

“This brings about problems of social exclusion. We want to send out a clear message that discrimination at the place of work cannot be tolerated,” he said.

Borg argued that workers remained workers, irrespective of their nationality and warned that no employer association will protect employers found to discriminate against their workers.

“The majority of employers do not discriminate, but even the fact that there is a minority is unacceptable,” he said.

Borg went on to add that discrimination at the place of work wasn’t as widespread. This, he said, didn’t stop social partners from tackling it before it becomes a larger problem.

General Workers Union secretary general Josef Bugeja said that workers deserved equal salaries for equal work. He argued that foreigners shouldn’t face lower wages: “Worsening working conditions also affect the Maltese workers.”