On the occasion of the 1st of May, Workers Day, Alternattiva Demokratika Chairperson, Prof. Arnold Cassola, said, “today’s reality shows that there are various challenges that Unions have to face. First of all there is the issue of precarious employment which is still rampant in Malta, with care workers, cleaners, security guards etc, being paid an hourly rate of 4.14 euros.”

He added, “AD believes that a new challenge which is not yet being tackled concerns work contracts where employers do not commit themselves in terms of the number of hours that an employee will be required to work during a particular week.”

“Known as zero hours contracts, workers in this category, mainly in the catering industry, are exploited because they are not given any bonuses and are not entitled to any leave.” Prof. Cassola stated, “such contracts should be regulated because this is another form of precariousness.”

He continued by saying, “secondly, we have a situation where many persons with disability are still being paid the miserly sum of 55% of the minimum wage as an allowance; thirdly there is the situation of pensioners who cannot make ends meet with the minimum pension that a substantial amount of them receive.”

“These different categories of workers are the most vulnerable when it comes to exploitation and bad conditions of work. There is an urgent need for a revision of these conditions so that these three categories of workers would be able to live with the dignity they deserve,” Prof Cassola concluded.

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