Gejtu Vella
Industrial Relations and Human Resources
Consultant
People at Work
(Creating Jobs - Protecting People)
www.peopleatwork.com.mt
11th June 2013
Trade Unions
General Workers Union (GWU)
Malta Workers Union (UHM)
Malta Union of Teachers (MUT)
Malta Union of Bank Employees (MUBE)
Malta Union of Midwifes and Nurses (MUMN)
The Medical Association of Malta (MAM)
In addition to the above leading unions there are a number of small unions
representing a sector, a category or a class of workers either clerical or industrial
Confederations
General Workers’ Union
The General Workers’ Union is also considered as a Confederation
Confederation of Malta Trade Unions
UHM MUBE MAM LRU
Forum for Maltese Unions
MUT MUMN ALPA
Main National Tripartite Boards
Malta Council for Economic and Social Development
(MCESD)
Employment Relations Board
(ERB)
Occupational Health and Safety Authority
(OHSA)
Brief information about the trade unions in Malta
Union density is relatively high in Malta, with 51% of
employees are represented by a union. Two main union
groupings, the GWU and UHM, face one another, both
organising a wide spectrum of workers, although some
occupations, such as teachers, doctors, bank employees
and midwives, are in independent unions. There are
political differences between the two main groups and
relations are often tense, although there have been some
recent attempts to develop a more collaborative spirit
among trade unions.
There are app. 89,180 trade union members in Malta.
These are the figures from Malta’s registrar of trade
unions for 2011-12. This suggests that 51% of Malta’s
employees are union members.
By far the two largest unions in Malta are the GWU, with
44,971 members and the UHM with 26,273. As both
cover a wide range of industries and occupations, they are
similar to union confederations.
In addition to these two major bodies, there are a number
of smaller unions, which often have a high level of
membership in the areas they organise. The most
important of these are the (MUT) Malta Union of
Teachers, the (MUBE) Malta Union of Bank Employees
and (MUMN) Malta Union of Midwives and Nurses.
The UHM, MAM and MUBE as well as some smaller
unions are all members of the Confederation of Malta
Trade Unions (CMTU), although it is the member unions
rather than the CMTU that are dominant in conducting
industrial relations at the place of work and at times on a
national level also.
There is also a recently set-up third union grouping,
known as Forum Unions Maltin (FORUM). Initially set
up with eight unions in 2004, with the MUMN – nurses
and midwives – playing a key role, the group was
strengthened when the MUT joined it after leaving the
CMTU in 2008.
In the recent past the GWU has suffered from a decline in
employment in the traditionally heavily unionised
shipbuilding and ship repair industry, as well as parts of
manufacturing such as clothing and textiles. As a result,
between 2006-2008 it recorded its largest ever fall in
membership, losing 4,650 members.
The GWU is close to the social democratic Partit
Laburista (Labour Party) and was merged with it for the
period from 1978 to1992. The other unions emphasise
their independence from political parties, although the
CMTU and the UHM, its main component, are seen as
closer to the center-right Nationalist Party (PN).
Figures from the Registrar of Trade Unions and the
National Statistics Office show that, while union
membership grew between 1996 and 2012 from 79,100 to
89,200, the 4.6% growth in union membership has not
kept up with the growth in overall employment, which
went up by 8.3%, from 140,000 in June 1996 to 151,600
in June 2012. The result is that union density has fallen
slightly from 53% in 1996 to 51% in 2012. The unions are
stronger in the public sector than in the private sector.
Unemployment
In March, 2013 registered unemployed persons stood at
7,350, up by 384 over the corresponding month last year.
Equivalent to 7.9%.
Employment
According to the latest figures in April 2013 a total of
152,806 were gainfully employed. This is the highest
number gainfully employed in Malta so far.
National Minimum Wage
€162.19 age 18 years and over
€155.41 age 17 years
€152.57 age under 17 years
Debate Competitiveness
The promotion of competitiveness can be enhanced if
trade unions are taken into confidence and a strong
relationship is built on mutual trust between the two
parties at company level and three parties on a national
level.
The challenges which lie ahead can be confronted
successfully if meaningful social dialogue continues to be
placed at the very center of each issue which may arise
from time to time.
During the past four years the world suffered an economic
and financial shock which may be compared to the
depression after the 1st World War. The financial and
economic woes brought in many austerity measures, loss
of wages and millions of workers lost their employment
world-wide, closer to home within the European Union
and the Euro Area. Although Malta suffered also partially
from this world wide hardship through meaningful social
dialogue between the three social partners many issues
were addressed properly and at the right time with tailormade measures encouraged private companies to invest
more and increase their productivity. Malta enjoyed very
low unemployment rates.
Trade unions acted as a very good conveyer belt to
disseminate information and communicate effectively
both from bottom up and vice-versa.
Both at national and at enterprise level competitiveness is
not perceived by most of the trade unions as an instrument
to reduce working conditions or salaries but as a
necessary tool to ensure that the three parties i.e.
Government - Employers and Trade Unions seek new
avenues and pastures which is to the benefit to all parties.
Sustaining competitiveness is in the best interest of all
parties. Competitiveness: - in substance - it is the key to
success – economically, socially, environmentally and
politically.