Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1048856
maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 7 NOVEMBER 2018 7 a free ride on negotiations by trade unions at their work- place, Malta also has an in- creased number of workers who are not covered by collec- tive bargaining. The decline in collective bargaining Baldacchino notes that labour relations for the past thirty years have been marked by two contradictory trends; increased social dialogue at a national level and decreased collective bargaining at work place level. According to Baldacchino the principle of social dialogue crafted in the 1990s remains "very much alive" in the prac- tice of consultation, involving trade unions, employer asso- ciations and government, typi- cally within the ambit of the Malta Council for Economic and Social Development. On the other hand at enter- prise level the picture is so dif- ferent. "Malta has some 8,000 em- ployers – but only around 200 have negotiated and concluded collective agreements". Meanwhile trade union mem- bership is probably stable or even rising marginally: with trade unions soon expected to declare that the number of trade union members over 100,000 members. However, the proportion of the labour force that is union- ised is in decline; "especially now with thousands of foreign workers in Malta, most (but not all) of whom are not union- ised". For Baldacchino it is now "an especially good time" for trade unions to wield the added clout offered by a labour deficient economy, and argue for better and fairer means of represent- ing workers at enterprise level. And while freedom of as- sociation is respected at law it remains unclear whether in practice this possibility actually exists for all workers. "Such an option remains practically unthinkable in spe- cific economic sectors as well as in micro and small enter- prises." All small business owners should join a union – GRTU GRTU president Paul Abela who represents small business owners also makes the argu- ment against free riders in his advocacy of compulsory mem- bership in employers' organi- sations but is cautious when it comes to compulsory member- ship for employees. In fact, it was the GRTU, which originally proposed a system of compulsory mem- bership for all self-employed persons, and legal entities enti- tled to run businesses in Malta in 2017. This would involve a nomi- nal, regular and mandatory financial contribution to one of the cross-sectoral employer organisations that is represent- ed on the Malta Council for Economic and Social Develop- ment. "At that time we were told by Minister Helena Dalli that this would be unconstitutional. We can't understand what has changed," Abela told MaltaTo- day. Abela pointed at Austria as a model to emulate. The Federal Economic Chamber (WKO), an employer organisation in Austria has a mandatory mem- bership. He pointed out that while business organisations lobby for all businesses and spend money on reports and sectoral studies, a significant number of businesses who benefit from these negotiations do not con- tribute through membership fees. But Abela is not sure whether the same model should be ap- plied to workers. "Most of our members em- ploy a few employees. Their re- lationship with the employer is different from that of someone working in a very large enter- prise. They tend to have a very personal relationship with an employer who often works side by side with them…in many cases they may not even need to join the union to make their voice heard." NEWS ANALYSIS LOCAL GOVERNMENT REFORM Revitalising our Local Government SENA As part of the Public Consultation campaign for the Local Government Reform White Paper, the Parliamentary Secretary for Local Government and Communities is inviting the general public for a Public Consultation meeting on the following dates: Meeting with the residents who live in the southern part of Malta, on Wednesday 14th November 2018, at 6:30pm, Marsa Local Council Hall. Meeting with the residents who live in the northern part of Malta, on Monday 19th November 2018, at 6:30pm, Mosta Local Council Hall. Meeting with the residents who live in Gozo, on Friday 30th November, at 6:30pm, Xewkija Band Club Hall. PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARIAT FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND COMMUNITIES union Why shouldn't workers be obliged to pay the equivalent of a trade union membership fee when they do not wish to join a union? At that time we were told by Minister Helena Dalli that [compulsory membership for all self-employed] would be unconstitutional. We can't understand what has changed Godfrey Baldacchino Paul Abela