F’Jum il-Ħaddiem, ADPD-The Green Party jfakkar li x-xogħol għandu jkun sors ta’ dinjità u mhux ta’ sfruttament. Illum, f’Malta, għadna naraw realtà fejn numru mdaqqas ta’ ħaddiema – speċjalment f’ setturi bħall-kostruzzjoni, il-kura u s-servizzi – qed jitħallsu pagi baxxi li ma jirriflettux il-valur reali tax-xogħol tagħhom.  Dan qaluh Sandra Gauci, Chairperson u Mario Mallia Deputat Segretarju Ġenerali ta’ ADPD – The Green Party waqt konferenza stampa quddiem l-isptar Mater Dei fejn il-ħidma minn ħaddiema differenti, fi rwoli differenti u minn pajjiżi differenti ma tieqafx lanqas fil-jum iddedikat lill-ħaddiema.  

Il-kelliema saħqu li huwa ta’ tħassib u ta’ għajb li ħaddiema f’ċerti setturi, ħafna drabi ħaddiema barranin, qed jitħallsu medja ta’ madwar 38% inqas minn ħaddiema oħra. Dan mhux biss huwa inġust, iżda jikxef mudell ekonomiku li jiddependi fuq xogħol irħis flok fuq kwalità, ħiliet u produttività li huma apprezzati. Dan il-mudell qed jagħmel ħsara kemm lill-ħaddiema barranin kif ukoll lill-ħaddiema Għawdxin u Maltin. Fl-aħħar huwa ukoll ta’ ħsara għall-pajjiż.

Ma nistgħux ninsew li setturi essenzjali bħall-kura u s-saħħa jiddependu fuq ħidmet il-ħaddiema barranin. Dawn il-ħaddiema huma pilastru indispensabbli tas-soċjetà tagħna u jixirqilhom l-istess protezzjoni, rispett u dinjità bħal kulħadd.  Il-kundizzjonijiet tax-xogħol tagħhom għandhom ikunu regolati b’mod serju, b’pagi ġusti, akkomodazzjoni adegwata u aċċess sħiħ għad-drittijiet kollha tax-xogħol u l-għajxien.  Meta jitqies li l-kirjiet tal-propjetà żdiedu b’175% f’ħames snin, isir ovvju li hemm faxxa sostanzjali fis-socjetà tagħna li qed jesperjenzaw il-faqar.  

ADPD temmen li wasal iż-żmien li nimxu lejn ekonomija li tpoġġi lill-bniedem fiċ-ċentru tagħha. Dan ifisser:

• tmiem il-mudell ekonomiku ta’ sfruttament ibbażat fuq xogħol b’pagi baxxi;
• paga minima li għandha togħla u tkun paga ta’ għajxien diċenti; l-istudji tal- Caritas/Alleanza kontra l-faqar/Kummissjoni Ewropea juru biċ-ċar dan il-bżonn.  Paga minima ta’ madwar 12,000 euro  għadha ‘l bogħod minn mill-19,000 ewro li l-Caritas ikkalkulat li għandha bżonn familja ta’ 4 minn nies;
• infurzar effettiv tad-drittijiet tal-ħaddiema kollha, inklużi dawk tal-pjattaformi diġitali u ħaddiema barranin;
• Sforz aħħari u miżuri effettivi biex ir-rata baxxa ta’ ħaddiema bi ftehim kollettiv, titla’ mill-figura baxxa ta’ 31%.  Id-direttiva tal-Unjoni Ewropea teżiġi li r-rata għandha jitla’ għal 80%.  Dan jiżgura ħaddiema b’kundizzjonijiet tax-xogħol iktar dinjitużi partikolarment f’ċertu setturi bħat-turiżmu u retail fost oħrajn, li mhux qed jiġu milħuqa. B’hekk, il-ħaddiema ma jibqgħux tallaba tal-istat biex jassiguraw għixien diċenti;
• Regolamentazzjoni ahjar tal-kirjiet għall-akkomodazzjoni, biex dawn ikunu iktar affordabbli għal dawk bi dħul baxx; 
• Kundizzjonijiet tax-xoghol li jiffavilitaw bilanċ aħjar bejn ix-xogħol u l-ħajja privata.

F’Jum il-Ħaddiem, filwaqt li nroddu ħajr lill-ħaddiema kollha għal ħidmiethom, insejħu għal politika li tirrispetta lil kull ħaddiem u li tibni ekonomija ġusta, u sostenibbli. Il-ġid ta’ pajjiżna għandu jinbena fuq il-ħidma b’kumpens ġust għal kulħadd, u mhux fuq l-isfruttament li jgħolli l-figuri tal-Prodott Gross Domestiku a spejjes tad-dinjità tal-ħaddiema.

Mill-ġid, għandna ngawdu LKOLL.  

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Wealth should be enjoyed by all, together.

On Workers’ Day, ADPD – The Green Party celebrates that work should be about dignity and not exploitation.  In Malta today, we still see a considerable number of workers, in particular some sectors like construction, health, and services, who are being paid low wages that certainly do not reflect the value of their work, said Sandra Gauci, Chairperson, and Mario Mallia, Deputy General Secretary, of ADPD -The Green Party. The press conference was held outside Malta’s main hospital. The hospital is a place of work with peopple from different backgrounds, with different roles and from different countries work together to provide care and essential services to us all.

The speakers reiterated that it is a fact that workers in some sectors, many of whom are foreign workers, are being paid on average 38% less than other workers.  Not only is this unjust but also shows that the economic model in use is dependent on cheap labour and not quality, skills, and productivity.   This economic model is damaging to both foreign workers as well as Maltese and Gozitan workers.

We cannot forget that certain sectors such as care and health depend on foreign workers.  These workers are a pillar of our society, and they deserve the same protection, respect, and dignity as anybody else.  Their working conditions should be regulated properly, with fair pay, adequate accommodation, and full access to all rights in connection with work and living standards.  When taking into consideration the fact that rent has increased by 175% in five years, it becomes obvious that in our society there is a substantial sector experiencing poverty.   

ADPD believes that the time has come for us to move towards an economic model that places the individual at the centre.  This means:

• The end of the economic model that depends on exploitation based on low wages
• A minimum wage that should be increased, and which should be sufficient for decent living.  Studies by Caritas, Alleanza Kontra l-Faqar, and the European Commission clearly show that this is necessary.  An annual salary of 12,000 euro is far from the 19,000-euro annual salary that Caritas calculated is necessary for a family of four people.
• Effective enforcement of all workers’ rights, including those foreign workers and gig (digital platforms) workers.
• The push for effective measures for more workers to be protected by a collective agreement to increase beyond the current figure of 31%.  The European Union directive dictates that the rate should go up to 80%.  This would ensure that workers have better rights in sectors such as tourism and retail amongst others, which are currently not being met.  In doing so, workers would not need to beg the state for a decent living. 
• Rent control for accommodation that is affordable for those on a low wage.  
• Better work-life balance.

On Worker’s Day, whilst we thank all workers for their labour, we call for a politics that respects all workers and works towards a just and sustainable economy.  The wealth of our country should be based on fair compensation for all, and not on the exploitation that increases the Gross Domestic Product whilst eradicating workers’ dignity.

Wealth should be enjoyed by all, together.