During a press conference on conditions of work and workers in Valletta Prof. Arnold Cassola, AD Chairperson and candidate for EP elections, said: “Despite the government taking initiatives to eradicate precarious work, inequalities and injustices still exist in various areas. Contracts by government and government institutions such as agencies and schools, for companies providing the services of cleaners, security personnel and clerks at 4.16, 4.40 and 4.65 Euros an hour still exist; public transport drivers earning 5 Euros an hour whilst their colleagues chartered from the private bus sector, are paid 15 Euros an hour for the same job still exist; and the scandalous decision by MEPA to exempt certain venues from having facilities for people with disability will make it even more difficult with people with a disability to be offered a job. Talk is cheap. What we really need is concrete action.”
AD spokesperson on industry, energy and transport Ralph Cassar added: “There are various examples of workers employed by a contracting company who although they are posted for long periods in the same government department, school or agency and do the same work as workers employed directly by that institution have drastically different conditions of work and are paid considerably less. Examples include clerks in schools and colleges, clerks at Mater Dei, and cleaners. I know of cleaners who have their 40 hour week spread over six days, and get paid the miserly rate of 4.16 Euros an hour.
“There were also reports in the press recently (The Malta Independent) revealing that Enemalta workers are being cornered into accepting a two-year contract with the Chinese power company, being told that they will have to forfeit the conditions of work they have acquired over the years. Labour copied PN in promising workers one thing then doing the opposite.
“How does the EU and the EP come into this? The EP can influence where and how EU money is spent. The European Greens are constantly pushing for a shift to spending on social programmes, programmes in favour of quality jobs and a better quality of life. Together with the European Greens AD are asking that the PSE/PPE approved budget is revised. They approved a reduction in funds for research and innovation, education and training, social inclusion and youth policy. In contrast we are asking for a shift from subsidizing the fossil fuel corporations, nuclear industry and big agri-corporations to spending on social inclusion, education and training, youth policy, and ecological modernization. The emphasis of spending on the economic front should be SMEs.”
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Xoghol prekarju u kundizzjonijiet migħajr dinjita` għadhom jeżistu, tgħid AD
Waqt konferenza stampa fuq il-ħaddiema u l-kundizzjonijiet tax-xogħol ġewwa l-Belt Valletta, Prof. Arnold Cassola, iċ-chairperson ta’ AD u kandidat għall-elezzjonijiet tal-PE, qal: “Minkejja l-inizjattivi li ħa l-Gvern biex jinqered ix-xogħol prekarju, l-inugwaljanzi u l-inġustizzji għadhom jeżistu f’oqsma differenti. Kuntratti mill-gvern u istituzzjonijiet tal-gvern bħal aġenziji u skejjel, għall-kumpaniji li jipprovdu servizzi ta’ tindif, għal ħaddiema li jaħdmu fil-qasam tas-sigurta` u għal ħaddiema clerikali bil-4.16, 4.40 and 4.65 ewro fis-siegħa għadhom jeżistu. Xufiera tat-trasport pubbliku li jaqilgħu 5 Ewro s-siegħa filwaqt li kollegi tagħhom impjegati mas-setturt tat-trasport privat jitħallsu 15 ewro s-siegħa għall-istess xogħol għadhom jeżistu; u d-deċiżjoni skandaluża tal-MEPA biex teżenta ċerti postijiet milli jipprovdu faċilitajiet għall-persuni b’diżabilita` se jagħmluha aktar diffiċli biex persuni b’diżabilita` isibu xogħol. Il-kliem ma jiswiex flus. Li neħtieġu hija azzjoni konkreta.”
Il-kelliem ta’ AD dwar l-industrija, l-enerġija u t-trasport Ralph Cassar żied jgħid: “‘Hemm diversi eżempji ta’ ħaddiema impjegati minn kumpaniji bil-kuntratti, li għalkemm ikunu ippustjati għal żmien twil fl-istess dipartiment, istituzzjoniji eduattiva jew agenzija tal-gvern, u jagħmlu l-istess xogħol bħal tal-ħaddiema impjegati direttament minn dik l-istituzzjoni, għandhom kundizzjonijiet tax-xogħol drastikament differenti u huma mħallsin inqas. Eżempji jinkludu skrivani fi skejjel u kulleġġi, skrivani Mater Dei u cleaners. Hawn cleaners li jaħdmu 40 siegħa mifruxa fuq medda ta’ sitt ijiem u jitħallsu miżerja ta’ 4.16 ewro fis-siegħa.
“Dan l-aħħar kien hemm ukoll rapporti fil-gazzetti (The Malta Independent) li żvelaw li ħaddiema tal-Enemalta qed jiġu magħfusa jaċċettaw kuntratt ta’ sentejn mal-kumpanija tal-enerġija Ċiniża. Qalulhom li se jkollhom jitilfu l-kundizzjonijiet tax-xogħol li akkwistaw matul is-snin. Il-Labour qed jikkopja lill-PN, iwiegħed ħaġa u jagħmel il-kontra.
“L-UE u l-PE kif jidħlu f’dan kollu?` Il-PE jista’ jinfluenza kif u fejn jintefqu l-flus tal-UE. Il-European Greens isejħu b’mod konsistenti biex jintefqu aktar flus fuq programmi soċjali, programmi favur xogħol b’kundizzjonijiet diċenti u kwalita` ta’ ħajja aħjar. Flimkien ma’ sħabna l-Greens Ewropej qed nitolbu li l-Budget tal-UE jiġi rivedut. Il-PSE u l-EPP qablu fuq budget li naqqas il-fondi għar-ricerka u innovazzjoni, l-edukazzjoni, l-inklużjoni soċjali u l-politika favur iz-zgħazagħ. Għall-kuntrarju aħna qed nitolbu li l-budget tal-UE jiffoka fuq programmi kontra l-qagħad u xogħol prekarju, l-edukazzjoni u t-taħrig fost oħrajn. Qed nitolbu li minflok l-infiq isir biex jiġu sussidjati kumpaniji taż-żejt, l-industrija nukleari u l-korporazjonijiet agrikoli l-kbar issir bidla fid-direzzjoni għal infiq fuq inklużjoni soċjali, edukazzjoni u taħriġ, politika dwar iż-żgħażagħ u modernizzar ekoloġiku. L-emfasi fil-qasam tan-negozju għandhom ikunu l-SMEs.
Links relatati:
http://www.greens-efa.eu/green-jobs-11820.html
http://www.mff2014-2020.eu/en/
http://www.nivvota-alternattiva.com
