Malta has been elected to the governing body of the International Labour Organisation after an absence of more than two decades.
Malta obtained 221 votes in the election held in Geneva, Switzerland, during the 100th session of the ILO conference.
The governing body of the ILO meets three times a year and takes decisions on ILO policy, among other things.
Speaking during the conference, the Parliamentary Secretary for Public Dialogue, Chris Said urged the international community not to lose sight of the underlying principles of equality and solidarity and the importance of the dignity of the individual.
He highlighted the pressing need to review long-standing economic policies to ensure efficient growth.
Dr Said emphasised the importance of eradicating any prevailing discriminatory practices.
Turning to the issue of female employment, he said: “While recognising that there has been a significant increase in female participation, we cannot be completely satisfied with the circumstances of female employment. Managing professionalism at the workplace while maintaining a warm family environment at home is becoming ever more challenging. These should be our topmost priorities,” he said.
In a reaction, Forum Unions Maltin latched onto comments Dr Said made on giving priority to citizens in policy making, saying it felt the 11 unions it represented were still not on the Malta Council for Social and Economic Development.
In his speech at the conference, Malta Employers Association director general Joseph Farrugia rebutted claims by trade unions that precarious employment was on the increase, saying there should be a clear distinction between atypical work and precariousness.
He said the economy, workers and employers all stood to gain from flexible work organisations “as long as employees’ rights are respected and there are polices in place to enforce implementation and compliance of national labour regulations”.
On the situation at Air Malta, Mr Farrugia said the airline’s restructuring could have an impact on thousands of families in Malta. He added that, through dialogue, the social partners had the will and the ability to face the challenge and formulate a solution that worked in the national interest.