Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1546198
Kevin Camilleri: 'I think the economic model needs a different shift' The GWU's new boss, Kevin Camilleri believes Malta should focus on retaining its supply of foreign workers rather than constantly swelling it. He sits down with Matthew Farrugia to discuss the union's work in the cab and film industries and the challenge posed by AI 4 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 16 AUGUST 2026 INTERVIEW THE General Workers' Un- ion's (GWU) ninth secre- tary general, Kevin Camilleri wants to see a shift in Mal- ta's economic model and its dependency on the constant influx of new foreign workers. He notes that there is a vast workforce of foreign workers already in the country and the authorities should focus more on worker retention. Camilleri sits down with MaltaToday, a few months af- ter his election to the top post of Malta's largest union. He fields questions on the GWU's biggest upcoming challenges, the impact of foreign workers on its operations, worker soli- darity and AI. A trade unionist since 2006, Camilleri says digitalisation and AI are some of the most significant challenges facing workers and their unions. However, he insists that reg- ulating AI can turn the chal- lenges into opportunities for workers to use the revolu- tionary technology as a tool. Camilleri also speaks about his union's work in some of the emerging economic sec- tors that sprouted in the last decade, namely the food cou- rier industry. The GWU boss says the union aims to replicate its success in this sector in oth- er industries such as the ride-hailing industry.