Foreign “abused” workers are making collective bargaining harder and leading to worsening conditions for Maltese employees, a leading union boss said on Friday.
As a result, workers are getting less of the “economic cake” when compared to a decade ago, Union Ħaddiema Magħqudin CEO Josef Vella said.
“When we abuse foreign workers we are abusing Maltese workers,” he said.
Employers bring over workers from India or Pakistan to work for less than what a Maltese worker would expect, Vella said.
As a result, workers have reduced bargaining power.
Vella was being interviewed by podcaster Jon Mallia as part of the UĦM’s workers’ day conference.
The union boss said that mistreatment of foreign workers is both “a moral and legal abuse,” and said that the principle of equal pay for equal work is true on paper but not in practice.
Vella said that outsourcing and subcontracting was being used in the core operations of businesses as a way to make a “quick buck” and said that this leads to a lose-lose situation.
He mentioned a local unnamed hotel that outsourced its waiting service to cut costs as an example.
“First hit is the Maltese who lost a job opportunity, second hit is the foreign worker who is being abused with the (hourly) rate he is given, and third hit is the employer after finding himself in circumstances where the subcontractor can then ask for more money under the threat of stopping the supply of (subcontracted) workers”.
“A quick buck does not lead to a long-term strategy or a strong and mature business,” Vella said.
He said that obligatory union membership for low-income workers would be one way to solve the issue and help bring about a level playing field.
Individualism a threat to trade unionism
Vella, who was being interviewed in front of union delegates, said that a cultural shift towards individualism is making union work more difficult.
He said this “neoliberal effect” means that many now look for their rights but do not consider their obligations.
“One of the fundamental principles of a union is solidarity,” Vella said.
“If they (union delegates) only cared about their own well-being they wouldn’t be here,” he said.
One union delegate, Massimo Galea, said his role means a tense relationship with management.
Union delegates represent their colleagues on behalf of the union at their workplace.
“One of the difficulties I face is that I am considered to be provoking my colleagues and they (management) try to demoralise me,” he said.
Galea said that he often feels that his job is threatened because of his union role and that he is a victim of “mind bullying”.
“Being a worker’s representative doesn't mean you are a threat to management but simply that you are gathering workers and speaking on their behalf,” he said.