Dysfunctional political system exploiting Maltese workers, PD says

Malta’s “dysfunctional political system” is exploiting the country’s workers, the Democratic Party said on Wednesday.

On Worker’s Day, the party said that despite living in what the government has described as “the best of times”, most people are not enjoying a work-life balance that reflects such an ideal.  

“Families are being destabilised in order to have a liveable wage that matches the ever rising cost of living, and in asking for what is rightfully theirs, they must often depend on political patronage,” the PD said.

“When public officials abuse the system or make use of it illegally, violating the spirit of the law, they do so at the expense of the general public and in violation of the social contract.”  

Among the factors contributing to social justice not being upheld at the workplace, the PD said, was “an unliveable minimum wage, the prevalence of precarious, equal pay for equal work not being upheld, weak work and safety standards, poor protection of workers’ rights and the fact that pensioners are free to pursue work”.  

Addressing a press conference in Valletta, party leader Godfrey Farrugia insisted that there could be no social justice without legal justice. “The building blocks for prosperity and progress are human dignity, freedom, equality and justice,” he said.

Secretary General and MEP candidate Martin Cauchi Inglott stated “that citizens rights and freedoms are dependent on a solid and cedible rule of law structure. This is being abused because of a weak and unrespected Constution. Constitutional reform must happen!”

“Partit Demokratiku celebrates Worker's Day by fostering an environment where politics returns to its roots, and where politicians are held accountable for abuses of the system” stated by Hon Marlene Farrugia. “All decisions taken by a government affect the lives of workers whether it is environment, culture, economy, justice.”