Thursday 1 May 2014

Workers' Day - Żminijietna calls for a Social Model



Żminijietna - Voice of the Left said that this year Workers' Day should serve as a rallying call for a Social Model in Malta and the EU.

"Government should legislate for an increase in the national minimum wage, equivalent to 60% of the median wage.  This will have a positive effect to alleviate workers with low income and the working poor to have a better quality of life, whilst help increase demand within the economy. At the same time we welcome various policies being introduced by the Government which improve the work-life balance. A clear example of this is universal childcare centres and extension of summer school services".

"We believe that the Government should introduce legislation that prohibits precarious employment. We support the call made by the General Workers' Union whereby workers employed by private contractors for public services should receive identical salaries and conditions as public service workers. We also support the call made by GWU that private contractors with collective agreements should be given preferential treatment in public tenders. These two proposals should also apply for local council tenders".

"We also support the call of FORUM, which represents 12,000 workers, to have equal rights as other Unions in State fora, consultation and procedures".

"Given the proximity of the European Parliamentary elections, Żminijietna - Voice of the Left, Anti-Poverty Alliance, GWU Youths, Moviment Graffiti and the Association of Federative Socialists have proposed a Left Manifesto with other NGOs with clear policies related to the European Parliament and which propose a social model rather than neo-liberal austerity imposed by the EU Troika. Malta requires a leftist critique of the current EU policy model".

The Left Manifesto can be read at http://zminijietna.blogspot.com/2014/04/left-manifest-european-elections-2014.html

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