Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/821961
maltatoday, WEDNESDAY, 10 MAY 2017 4 PAUL COCKS A new PN government would im- plement the principle of equal pay for equal work, as there were many workers – including carers, cleaners and security personnel – who were still being paid less than others do- ing the same work, Nationalist Party leader Simon Busuttil said yesterday. "We will also make sure that the government itself lead by example by guaranteeing the same equality in the public sector," Busuttil said, ad- dressing a press conference on Day 9 of the electoral campaign. Busuttil said the PN would also immediately cancel the scheme under which the General Workers' Union was benefiting off the back of 600 workers. "The workers would go back to being administered by JobsPlus," he said. "The workers would also receive the money currently being paid to the GWU, which is earning €1.5million, so they will each in fact earn an additional €200." The PN leader said his government will introduce a "return to work" scheme for workers who would need to leave the workplace for an extend- ed period of time, such as medical treatments. "Once these workers feel they are ready to return to work, we will of- fer them all the support they might need, like retraining and psychologi- cal support," he said. "We will also offer incentives to employers to keep these workers on their books even while away." Busuttil said that the PN was also proposing the introduction of a summer school for disabled chil- dren, to be supervised by a group of LSAs. "Parents will therefore pursue their work and interests even during the summer months, knowing trained professionals will be looking after their children." A new PN government would launch a national plan on gender equality to ensure society tackle is- sues like the gender pay gap. "We are committing itself to en- sure that at least half the members on all public boards will be women," he said. "We will also introduce an advanced programme to introduce teleworking in the public sector." Busuttil said the PN's proposals were aimed at refocusing the coun- try's efforts and wealth on those who needed it most, instead of serving to benefit a close few, as had happened under the Labour administration. "On the election, people will be de- ciding if politics should serve the in- terests of the gang at Castille or the wellbeing of the country," he said. News PN to include equal pay for equal work in electoral programme Nationalist Party leader Simon Busuttil has pledged to implement in practice the concept of equal pay for equal work and address the gender wage gap if elected in the upcoming election Simon Busuttil has pledged to implement in practice the concept of equal pay for equal work and address the gender wage gap Simon Busuttil has no credentials to talk about 'equal work, equal pay' principle IVIN CATANIA, MEDIA & INFORMATION OFFICER, GWU THE Nationalist Party is lying and knows it, but continues to do so as long as it can attack the GWU. Simon Busuttil is lying as to the amount of profit made off the Community Work Scheme and he is also lying when he says that the work- ers who participate in the scheme are employed in precarious positions. It seems as though Simon Busuttil thinks that the Community Work scheme is the same one that was in place when he was deputy leader of the PN in government; then workers under that scheme were indeed subject to precarious and hu- miliating employment. Simon Busuttil knows that the scheme run by the Community Work Foundation does not em- ploy anyone under precarious conditions and he had ample time to verify this. The scheme grants workers dignity, above all else, besides providing a full minimum wage together with other allow- ances, benefits and bonuses. When Simon Busuttil was deputy PN leader while the party was in government, workers under such schemes were only paid 75% of the minimum wage, were not protected and did not enjoy any benefits like other workers, including leave, sick leave, injury leave and other allowances. That was precarious work. Under the schemes run at that time, workers were exploited, abused and humili- ated. The PN's hatred for the GWU is so ingrained that when the union put forward an "equal work equal pay" proposal for the private sector ahead of the 2017 budget, the PN ignored it. The party could have chosen to embrace the proposal and back the Labour government that accepted the proposal and launched a discussion with social partners on how to introduce such a measure. Simon Busuttil therefore has no credentials to talk about workers' rights, social justice and – even less so – about the principle of equal pay for equal work. Simon Busuttil is lying and is being very divisive, and he is showing us how he would treat the GWU if he were to be in government.