A society is measured by how it treats its weakest members. The recent strike action by Bolt food couriers, a justifiable response to their conditions, serves as a poignant reminder that third-country nationals, despite their often-overlooked status by some, are human beings with dignity and inherent rights.
Though it may surprise some, this fact is a fundamental truth we must all acknowledge and empathise with.
We should be proud of employers who care for their workers, but we should also abhor those who disregard fundamental rights.
The convenience of ordering food on an app and having it delivered to our doorstep should never come at the expense of workers’ rights. It’s a matter of great concern that we all should be actively engaged in.
The government is adamant that the food couriers’ case should be investigated thoroughly and that those who had to resort to strike action should not be dismissed from work, replaced, or face any punitive repercussions.
That is why I publicly urged workers to join a union and to report unfair treatment. Those involved in union activities are better organised and more protected.
The door of my ministry and Jobsplus will remain open if they need support.
This unwavering support from the government is crucial in ensuring the rights and dignity of all workers, including humble food couriers.
Jobsplus and the Department for Industrial and Employment Relations immediately set up meetings with representatives of the food couriers to investigate the issue further.
We want to curtail their exploitation, such as when they are paid below the legal minimum wage or less than the amount they are due.
We must ensure a proper mechanism exists to mitigate the possibility of employers not adhering to Malta’s employment rights laws. For those employers who do not respect workers’ rights, it should not be business as usual.
Those who exploit workers will find our entities stricter- Byron Camilleri
Since the employment portfolio was added to my ministry a few weeks ago, work immediately started to revamp Malta’s labour migration policy.
The challenges faced by the labour market and Malta’s economy some years back required a more liberal approach to address economic stagnation. Today, our country is facing different challenges. The key lies in re-striking a balance.
An evidence-based approach is necessary to navigate these challenges, ensuring the number of non-EU workers matches the actual labour demand in the economy. It does not tolerate any form of abuse.
The government must revamp its policies and procedures to make them more efficient and streamlined while maintaining rigorous safeguards to prevent abuse.
Employers who value their employees’ rights and work conditions should be prioritised over those with poor conditions and high turnover rates. We must also rethink our enforcement efforts in this area, streamline and work hard to prevent and investigate abuse.
Let me be very clear. The government is ready to work with employers who respect workers’ rights and those employers with acceptable turnover rates. However, those who exploit workers will find our entities stricter in their approach to labour market testing and approval rates.
As a government and nation, we will never accept what the food couriers went through. We will not tolerate the unabashed exploitation of workers, irrespective of their nationality.
We pride ourselves on our hard work in improving workers’ rights. We are a party whose principles are based on human values, and we can never accept the bare-faced exploitation (or otherwise) of workers.
You see, they, too, are human.
Byron Camilleri is Minister for Home Affairs.