GWU boss hits out at employers lobby, says some workers are discouraged from joining a union

No employer condemned this, Josef Bugeja said over a 2015 survey that found many workers reported being discouraged from joining a union by their employers

22 March 2022, 2:47pm
by Nicole Meilak

2 min read

Josef Bugeja, secretary-general at the General Workers' Union (GWU), criticised Malta's employers' lobby for opposing a Labour Party proposal to discuss mandatory union membership, despite a chunk of workers reporting that their employer discourages them from joining a trade union.

Bugeja touched on the subject during his speech at a Labour Party rally held at the GWU's City Theatre, held by the union's elderly section. He pointed towards a 2015 survey, in which at least 5% of respondents said their employer discouraged them from joining a trade union.

"No employer came out to condemn this," he said.

In its election manifesto the Labour Party said it agrees with mandatory trade union membership in principle, and commits itself to starting discussions with social partners to make this a reality.

Business lobbies were quick to attack the pledge, calling it "regressive and undemocratic" while claiming that it would not strengthen the state of industrial relations and social dialogue in Malta.

The lobbies, which include the Malta Employers' Association, the Malta Chamber of Commerce, and the Malta Chamber of SMEs, said they are not opposed to union membership but said that employees should be free to choose whether to join a union or not.

During an interview on TVM News Plus's Xtra, Labour leader Robert Abela said he wants to see more workers unionised to make sure vulnerable workers are given protection. However, he did not fully commit to introducing mandatory membership.

It was GWU who originally put forward the proposal in 2018, when the union requested that the Malta Council for Social and Economic Development (MCESD) discuss the possibility.

In his 2019 budget speech the former prime minister Joseph Muscat said that he felt it was time for the country to discuss this possibility, including having all businesses be required to join a chamber of commerce.

Nicole Meilak is deputy online editor and IĠM press awards (Most Promising Journalist) wi...