Workers’ Day should remind us of our obligations to protect all workers, particularly the most vulnerable among them. Workers’ Day is not about the triumphalism of mass meetings, but for reflection on the rights of workers, especially the weakest ones. This was the main message shared by speakers for ADPD – the Green Party when they met with a number of drivers at the bus terminus in Valletta this morning.

ADPD Deputy Secretary General Mario Mallia said that they were here today to greet workers who provide service in public transport. “These workers provide an essential service for a country, a service that offers solutions to one of the biggest problems that has plagued our country: traffic. Through their work, these workers keep thousands of cars from our roads every day, having a positive impact not only on the volume of traffic but also on the quality of the air and the health of our children.

“We wanted to greet these workers, who in recent weeks have been victims of physical and verbal violence against them. ADPD would like to commemorate this day to show solidarity with these workers, while fully supporting any changes in the law so that these workers, in view of the public service they provide, are given the protection that they deserve.

ADPD also demands that the health and safety of workers and passengers using public transport is guaranteed.  After the recent allegations regarding the compromises being made on the safety of the buses, ADPD asks the company that runs the service, as well as Transport Malta and the ministry of transport, to give peace of mind as befits the drivers as well as the workers who use the service,” concluded Mallia.

ADPD Chairperson ADPD Sandra Gauci said that Worker’s Day should remind us of our obligations to take care of all workers, particularly the most vulnerable.  “It is no coincidence that a number of incidents involving violence have occurred against non-Maltese workers who are providing service in our country. ADPD feels that this is an ugly symptom of racism that sometimes rears its head. This is a shame for a country that considers itself as a welcoming country. ADPD encourages everyone to show respect for human dignity regardless of whether the workers are Maltese or not.  Workers remain workers, regardless of nationality, skin colour, and belief.

ADPD would also like to salute so many other vulnerable workers, most of them who were not Maltese, who like Jean Paul Sofia ended up victims of the construction industry. ADPD will not let it be forgotten that these deaths did not happen by chance. The Building and Construction Authority (BCA), which has as many directors as it has inspectors, is indicative of a government which has its priorities all wrong, especially with so many workers paying with their lives. Every day that goes by without this industry’s rules being taken seriously increases the likelihood of another terrible death. We have had enough of crocodile tears,” Gauci claimed.

Workers’ Day is a time for reflection on workers’ rights, particularly those of the most vulnerable among them, rather than for the triumphalism of large-scale gatherings.  On this day dedicated to workers, we would also like to greet the many workers who suffer injustices at their workplace, those who suffer harassment, as well as those who are being exploited with low wages and bad conditions so that the few can fatten their pockets. A modern democratic country cannot boast of an increase in wealth if this wealth is being generated off the backs of exploited workers.

Lastly, ADPD praises workplaces that provide their employees with a respectable work environment. “I especially applaud the Maltese cooperatives, which provide a democratic and participatory work environment,” concluded Gauci.

***

1 ta’ Mejju 2024 – ADPD issejjaħ għall-ħarsien tal-vulnerabbli

Fil-bidu tal-konferenza stampa ċ-Chairperson tal-ADPD Sandra Gauci qalet li fil-każ tal-Vitals l-istituzzjonijiet tal-istat għandhom jitħallew jaħdmu mingħajr tixwix minn l-ebda naħa. 

Jum il-Ħaddiema għandu jfakkarna fl-obbligi tagħna li nieħdu ħsieb lil ħaddiema kollha partikolarment l-iktar vulnerabbli fosthom. Jum il-Ħaddiem ma jiġix għat-trijonfaliżmu tal-mass meetings, imma għal riflessjoni fuq il-jeddijiet tal-ħaddiema speċjalment dawk l-iktar dgħajfa. Dan sostnewh kelliema tal-ADPD the Green Party meta dalgħodu iltaqgħu ma’ numru ta’ xufiera fit-terminus tal-linja fil-Belt Valletta.

Id-Deputat Segretarju Ġenerali tal-ADPD, Mario Mallia, qal li qegħdin hawn illum biex insellmu lill-ħaddiema li jagħtu servizz fit-trasport pubbliku.  Dawn il-ħaddiema jagħtu servizz essenzjali għall-pajjiz; servizz li joffri soluzzjonijiet għal waħda mill-ikbar problemi li ħakmet lil pajjiżna; it-traffiku.  Permezz tax-xogħol tagħhom, dawn il-ħaddiema jnaqqsu eluf ta’ karozzi mit-toroq tagħna kuljum b’impatt pożittiv mhux biss fuq il-volum tat-traffiku imma wkoll fuq il-kwalità tal-arja u saħħet it-tfal tagħna.  

Mallia qal li xtaqna nsellmu lil dawn il-ħaddiema, anke għax huma klassi ta’ ħaddiema li speċjalment f’dawn l-aħħar ġimgħat, spiċċaw vittmi ta’ vjolenza fiżika u verbali fil-konfront tagħhom.  ADPD tixtieq tuża din il-ġurnata biex turi solidarjeta` ma dawn il-ħaddiema, filwaqt li tappoġġja bis-sħiħ kull tibdil fil-liġi sabiex dawn il-ħaddiema, anke in vista tas-servizz pubbliku li jagħtu, jingħataw il-protezzjoni ikbar li tixirqilhom.  

ADPD titlob ukoll garanziji ikbar li s-saħħa u s-sigurta` tal-ħaddiema u l-passiġġieri li jużaw it-trasport pubbliku qed jigu mħarsa kif jixraq.  Wara l-allegazzjonijiet li ssemmew fl-aħħar ġimgħat fejn ġie allegat li kienu qed isiru kompromessi fuq is-sigurta` tal-karozzi tal-linja, ADPD titlob lill-kumpannija li tmexxi s-servizz, kif ukoll Transport Malta u l-Ministeru għat-Trasport, biex jagħtu serħan il-moħħ kif jixraq lix-xufiera kif ukoll lill-ħaddiema li jużaw is-servizz, temm jgħid Mallia.  

Iċ-Chairperson tal-ADPD Sandra Gauci qalet li Jum il-Ħaddiema għandu jfakkarna fl-obbligi tagħna li nieħdu ħsieb lill-ħaddiema kollha partikolarment l-iktar vulnerabbli.

Mhux kumbinazzjoni li numru ta’ episodji ta’ vjolenza seħħew fil-konfront ta’ ħaddiema li mhux Maltin u li qed jagħtu servizz f’pajjiżna.  ADPD tħoss li dan huwa sintomu ikrah ta’ rażżizmu li kultant żmien jixref rasu. Dan huwa ta’ għajb għal pajjiż li mdorri jiddefinixxi lilu nnifsu bħala pajjiż akkoljenti.  ADPD tħeġġeġ lil kull min għandu reponsabbilta` pubblika biex iwassal messaġġi ta’ rispett lejn id-dinjita` umana irrispettivament il-ħaddiema hux Maltin jew le.  

Il-ħaddiema jibqgħu ħaddiema, irrispettivament min-nazzjonalita`, kulur tal-ġilda, u twemmin.  

ADPD tixtieq ukoll issellem lil tant haddiema vulnerabbli ohra, ħafna minnhom mhux Maltin, li bħal Jean Paul Sofia, spiċċaw vittmi tal-industrija tal-kostruzzjoni.  ADPD tfakkar li dawn l-imwiet ma seħħewx b’kumbinazzjoni.  Li l-BCA bħala regolatur, għandu diretturi daqs kemm għandu spetturi, meta hemm nuqqas serju ta’ kontroll, turi kemm il-gvern għad għandu prijoritajiet żbaljati li minħabba fihom, ħafna ħaddiema qed iħallsu b’ħajjithom.  Kull ġurnata dewmien biex ir-regolamentazzjoni ta’ din l-industrija tittieħed bis-serjeta’ tfisser il-possibilita` distinta ta’ mewt traġika ohra. Id-dmugħ tal-kukkudrilli mhux biżżejjed! Sostniet Gauci.  

Jum il-Ħaddiem ma jiġix għat-trijonfaliżmu tal-mass meetings, imma għal riflessjoni fuq il-jeddijiet tal-ħaddiema speċjalment dawk l-iktar dgħajfa.

F’din il-ġurnata ddedikata lill-ħaddiema, nixtiequ nsellmu ukoll lil tant ħaddiema li jsofru l-inġustizzji fuq il-post tax-xogħol tagħhom; dawk li jsofru fastidju, kif ukoll dawk li qed jiġu sfruttati b’pagi baxxi u kundizzjonijiet ħżiena biex il-ftit ikunu jistgħu jħaxxnu bwiethom.  Pajjiż demokratiku modern ma jistax jiftaħar biż-żieda fil-ġid jekk dan il-ġid qed jiġġenerah minn fuq dahar ħaddiema sfruttati.  

Fl-aħħarnett, ADPD issellem lil tant postijiet tax-xogħol li joffru esperjenza dinjituża għall-ħaddiema tagħhom.  B’mod partikolari issellem lill-koperattivi maltin, li joffru ambjent ta’ xogħol parteċipattiv u demokratiku, temmet tgħid Gauci