Alternattiva Demokratika spokesperson on Energy, Industry and Innovation, Ralph Cassar, has said that the agreement of EU Ministers on the working time directive, contrary to claims by the social partners, put employees and workers, especially those working in industry, at a disadvantage and opens the way to abuse.

On the one hand, Alternattiva Demokratika is satisfied that this agreement provides for the fact that as from now onwards salaries, holidays and maternity leave are to be the same for all workers, independent of the fact whether they work on a definite or indefinite contract.

Otherwise, “the agreement allows companies to have two tiers of employees: those accepting to work more than 60 hours a week (which is already high) and those who, rightly so, opt-out of long, inhumane and dangerous working hours. In fact the ETUC (European Trade Union Council) is calling the agreement ‘contrary’ to the interests of employees.”

“Protecting the quality of life of workers and employees means capping the amount of hours to a reasonable amount, together with ensuring appropriate salaries for the normal working hours. Employees who choose to opt-out might be discriminated against in a subtle manner. It will be very difficult if not impossible for government to make sure that we don’t end up with two tiers of employees depending on whether they accept to work long, inhumane hours or not. The dependence on overtime for decent wages confirms that Maltese employees’ standard of living is still quite low especially now with the explosion in the prices of everyday necessities.”

It is ironic that a government spokes person told The Times that “Malta has been arguing for the past four years that its employment market necessitates a more flexible working attitude particularly in the health, tourism and security sectors”, when it is particularly in these sectors that employees need protection from low pay, notoriously long hours, abuse and overwork.

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