Public transport workers deserve a special thank you this workers’ day, the Green Party said on Wednesday.
ADPD representatives met with various drivers at the Valletta bus terminus on Wednesday morning, which marks International Labour Day.
“These workers provide an essential service for a country, a service that offers solutions to one of the biggest problems that has plagued our country: traffic. Through their work, these workers keep thousands of cars from our roads every day, having a positive impact not only on the volume of traffic but also on the quality of the air and the health of our children,” the party’s Deputy Secretary General Mario Mallia said.
There have been various reports of physical and verbal attacks against bus drivers in recent weeks.
The prime minister has said that he is open to revising laws to better protect such workers, and in its statement on Wednesday ADPD said it would “fully support” any such amendments. https://timesofmalta.com/article/prime-minister-open-changing-laws-protect-bus-drivers.1091517
ADPD also urged the transport regulator and Malta Public Transport, the private operator responsible for Malta’s bus service, to offer drivers and passengers “peace of mind” about buses being roadworthy. The company was targeted by a former employee in a judicial protest filed last month, which alleged that buses deemed not safe to drive were being rushed into service.
Green Party chairperson Sandra Gauci said it was no coincidence that many violent incidents targeted non-Maltese workers, and described that as an “ugly symptom of racism that sometimes rears its head.”
“Workers remain workers, regardless of nationality, skin colour, and belief,” Gauci said.
She also took a dig at the May 1 rallies being organised by Malta’s two major parties, saying Workers’ Day “is a time for reflection on workers' rights, particularly those of the most vulnerable among them, rather than for the triumphalism of large-scale gatherings.”
The party paid tribute to vulnerable workers across the country, noting that many were exploited and ended up victims of industries like the construction sector.
“A modern democratic country cannot boast of an increase in wealth if this wealth is being generated off the backs of exploited workers,” Gauci said.
After the press conference, Gauci and other ADPD officials distributed ftiras to public transport workers and keychain produced sustainably as a sign of gratitude for their work, especially on this day.