In view of today’s public transport strike, AD’s spokesperson on transport, energy and infrastructure, Ralph Cassar, said:”Alternattiva Demokratika stands four square behind public transport workers at this point in time. Public transport cannot and should not depend on poor conditions of work. During the past weeks we have all been hearing about the difficult and unacceptable work conditions for public transport employees. The lack of proper breaks and the split shift system which management has been insisting on signifies negative effect on these workers’ families and their work-life balance. We cannot not notice the low wages, slightly above the minimum wage threshold – which is not enough for any worker, let alone those providing a public service.”
All this justifies the industrial action being taken, given that negotiations with workers’ representatives have failed.
Alternattiva Demokratika reiterates that the poor conditions in the public transport sector are unacceptable, both for the workers in the sector and also for service users. When the worker’s dignity is not respected he cannot deliver an adequate service. An efficient and effective public transport system also means good working conditions and adequate compensation for those who operate such and important public service.
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AD issejjaħ għal kundizzjonijiet xierqa għall-ħaddiema tal-MPT
Fid-dawl tal-istrajk tal-ħaddiema tat-trasport pubbliku, l-kelliem għat-trasport, l-enerġija u l-infrastruttura ta’ AD, Ralph Cassar, qal: “Alternattiva Demokratika f’dan il-mument diffiċli għalihom turi solidarjeta’ mal-ћaddiema tat-trasport pubbliku. Trasport pubbliku effiċjenti ma jistax jinbena fuq kundizzjonijiet tax-xogħol mhux xierqa. Ilkoll segwejna matul dawn l-aħħar gimgħat l-informazzjoni dwar kundizzjonijiet li jbaxxu d-dinjita’ tal-ħaddiem. Bhal nuqqas ta’ mistrieħ adegwat (break) u l-insistenza tal-management fuq split shifts liema proposta tħarbat il-gurnata tax-xogħol tal-ħaddiema b’effett dirett fuq il-familji tagħhom. Ma nistgħux ma ninnutawx il-pagi kemm kemm ogħla mill-paga minima – li mhix adegwata għall-ebda ħaddiem, wisq inqas għal dawk li joperaw servizz pubbliku.”
Dan kollu jiġġustifika t-tehid ta’ azzjon industrijali ġaladarba id-diskussjonijiet madwar il-mejda ma wasslux għal soluzzjoni.
Il-pajjiż ma kellux jasal sa hawn. Huwa inaċċettabbli li l-Awtorijiet jippermettu dawn it-tip ta’ kundizzjonijiet, li huma ta’ detriment għall-ħaddiemna u għall-pubbliku. Meta l-ħaddiem mhux irrispettat fuq xogħolu ma jistax jagħti servizz tajjeb. Trasport pubbliku li taqdi n-nies ifisser ukoll xogħol u kundizzjonijiet diċenti u xierqa għal min fl-aħħar minn l-aħħar jopera dan is-servizz.
