At a meeting of officials from AD with activists from the Kampanja Paga Minima Dicenti, AD Chairperson, Prof. Arnold Cassola said that AD believes that it is unacceptable that the minimum wage was calculated once in 1972, on assumptions that were valid 44 years ago and has never been revised since.
“Caritas’s work on the issue is commendable. Their study shows how it is impossible to make ends meet on the minimum wage. AD stresses that the minimum wage should be revised periodically. A strong economy at the expense of workers working for poverty wages is not acceptable for us.”
AD Secretary General Ralph Cassar added that it is not true that an increase in the minimum wage means that workers lose their jobs.
“First of all work that does not pay enough for a decent quality of life means dependence on charity or welfare and certainly and is certainly not beneficial for the economy. Even from a purely economic point of view, an increase in the minimum wage means more cash in hand for workers with lower wages, who will spend more on essential commodities and services. In a nutshell, an increase in the minimum wage will serve as an economic stimulus.”
Anna Azzopardi from ADZ – Green Youth said that Greens have consistently stressed that the minimum wage should be reviewed to make it really and truly a living wage which gives each and every person the necessary income for a dignified life.
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Il-paga minima ghandha tkun bizzejjed ghal ghixien dinjituz
Fl-laqgha ta’ ufficcjali minn Alternattiva Demokratika ma’ esponenti tal-Kampanja Paga Minima Dicenti, ic-Chairperson ta’ AD, il-Prof.
Arnold Cassola qal li AD temmen li huwa inaccettabbli li l-paga minima giet ikkalkulata darba fl-1972 fuq ‘basket’ li kien jaghmel sens 44 sena ilu u qatt ma gie revedut il-kalkolu tal-paga minima.
“Il-Caritas ghamlet xoghol utili hafna, bl-istudju taghha juri kif b’paga mhux possibbli li persuni jghixu b’mod dicenti. AD tishaq li l-paga minima ghandha tigi revedutha perjodikament. Ekonomija b’sahhitha ghas-skapitu ta’ haddiema li jahdmu ghal pagi li ma jippermettux ghixien dinjituz mhux accettabbli ghalina.”
Is-Segretarju Generali ta’ AD Ralph Cassar zied li mhux minnu li zieda fil-paga minima tfisser li haddiema jitilfu xogholhom. “L-ewwelnett xoghol li ma jhallasx bizzejjed biex dak li jkun jghix dicentament ifisser dipendenza fuq l-karita jew welfare u zgur mhux ta’ gid ghall-ekonomija. Anke minn aspett purament ekonomiku zieda fil-paga minima tfisser aktar flus fl-idejn haddiema bl-aktar pagi baxxi – li jonfqu aktar fuq prodotti essenzjali. F’kelma wahda, zieda fil-paga minima hija wkoll stimolu ekonomiku.”
Anna Azzopardi minn AD Zghazagh qalet li Alternattiva Demokratika b’mod konsistenti ilha tishaq li l-paga minima ghandha tkun riveduta biex ix-xoghol verament jaghti lil kull persuna d-dhul necessarju ghal ghixien dinjituz.