Unions’ forum calls for reversal of weekend public holiday ban

Forum Unions Maltin, a confederation of 12 trade unions, has called on the government to restore leave entitlement for public holidays that fall on weekends.

“When the previous administration decided to ban such public holidays, its excuse was that the economy was performing poorly,” ForUM president Kevin Bonello said in a statement. “Now that the economy is reportedly booming, we expected that the government would have reversed this decision in its Budegt for next year.”

The absence of such a restoration was one of ForUM’s criticisms of the 2016 Budget that was announced on Monday.

It also hit out at the fact that people born after 1968 will now have to pay 41 years’ worth of social contributions in order to qualify for a state pension, up from 40 years currently.

Bonello warned that this measure will reduce the natural turnover of workers, hence rendering it harder for youths to find a job and for employers to seek new blood.

He also claimed that it could disincentivise people from pursuing their studies at doctorate and post-doctorate level. 

The trade unions’ confederation also criticised the Budget for its lack of concrete proposals with regards a living wage, education, nano technology and tax evasion.

On a positive side, it hailed the Budget for cutting income tax for low income workers, kick-starting a pension reform, introducing a subsidised pilot project for live-in carers, and considering the construction of a tunnel between Malta and Gozo.