Guess what?

Creating productive employment, better working conditions, equal opportunities for all workers as well as respectful dialogue between employees and employers... these are the four principles that form the basis of the present social policy of the European Union.

The EU had, above all other considerations, to be a union; hence this depends to a great extent on how much its citizens, its members feel that this EU is of benefit to them.

Originally (in the Treaty of Rome) there were only a few articles about social policy. These were all political declarations and it did not follow that they had to become concrete laws or directives. It was only after 1974 that the European Community began to adopt a programme of social action that included directives regarding equal opportunities, health and safety at the place of work, and persons with special needs.

The Single European Act of 1986 provided further impetus to this process, since this law introduced the principle of qualified majority voting regarding various aspects of social policy. In view of this agreement, the Council of Ministers could adopt decisions that established minimum standards with regard to working conditions, health and safety at work; the integration of persons who are excluded from the job market; information to and consultation with workers; equal opportunities and conditions of work between men and women.

In 1989 the Governments of 11 of the 12 members of the European Community accepted the Charter of the Fundamental Social Rights of Workers - in brief, the Social Charter, built on the Social Charter of the Council of Europe and various conventions of the International Labour Organisation. This charter is a political declaration and does not have the force of law. Nonetheless, the European Commission has come up with a plan of action including 47 proposals founded on the principles of the Social Charter. The greatest success in this field has certainly been the progress registered with regard to health and safety at work.

The Treaty of Maastricht that came into force in 1993 provided further impetus to the social agenda through the addition of Protocol no. 14 - Agreement on Social Policy that was initially only added as an annex, because of opposition from the United Kingdom. This annex was then accepted as an integral part of the Treaty of Amsterdam that came into force in May 1999. In this way, this agreement became part of the acquis communautaire.

In view of this agreement, various directives were adopted by the Council of Ministers on the recommendation of the European Commission. These include a directive about European Works' Councils, about parental leave, about the burden of proof in cases of alleged sexual discrimination; about part-time work; and about fixed term employment contracts.

The EU's chapter on social policy can be divided into seven sections: the European Social Fund; a policy in favour of employment; social security for immigrant workers; health and safety at the place of work; social dialogue; information to and consultation with workers; equal rights for men and women; those with special needs and excluded persons.

The European Social Fund is one of the EU's four structural funds. Its main aims are twofold: firstly by enhancing work opportunities through occupational and geographical mobility. This is achieved through vocational training and retraining. The second aim of this Fund is encourage the social cohesion among the citizens of the EU.

The beneficiaries of this Fund are Objective Regions - areas that fall below the EU average. These areas deserve to benefit from equalisation measures - measures that provide assistance for restructuring of industry, job growth, tackling and reducing long term unemployment; as well as helping young people find jobs. Portugal, Spain, Ireland, Greece, Southern Italy and the former East Germany have benefited from specific programmes provided in terms of this Fund.

In the forthcoming financing programme, there were will be three targeted regions: Objective One regions where the level of development is below 75 per cent of the EU average: Objective Two regions that are undergoing economic and social change, including processes of diversification; Objective Three regions that require investment in human resources, and therefore in job training and education.

The EU considers it as its duty to pursue a co-ordinated policy in favour of job creation in its member states. This is the basis of its European Employment Strategy.

These initiatives have been given a legal basis through the Treaty of Amsterdam. The Council of Ministers every year offers employment guidelines which are then incorporated in national programmes adopted by each member state. These programmes are built on improving employability, developing entrepreneurship, encouraging adaptability and strengthening policies of equal opportunities.

Possibly, occupational health and safety is the most advanced sector in the EU's social policy. This is done not only to provide high standards of living and decent jobs for all workers within the EU, but also after the Single European Act, not to allow any form of social dumping between one member state and another.

Another area that has witnessed legislative progress regards the workers' right to information, consultation and participation.

By becoming a member of the EU Malta would have to adopt such measures in its legislation. That would include the setting up of an appropriate guarantee fund to protect workers who remain unpaid because of their employer's insolvency. Another measure that would be adopted is the prohibition of discrimination against workers on fixed term employment contracts.

Guess what?

Every word stated above is my free translation of extracts from a report entitled 'The Social Policy of the European Union'.

Guess what?

It is not a report commissioned by Government. Nor is it a report commissioned by MIC.

Guess what?

It is one of various reports commissioned by the General Workers Union. This particular report has been written by Dr Godfrey Baldacchino. Most of the other reports commissioned by GWU equally prove that joining the EU would be advantageous to workers in our country.

Other reports, including one written by GWU desk officer Peter Paul Barbara, point at the favourable impact of EU membership.

Guess what?

The GWU has kept all these reports hidden from its own membership and from the general public. The union, despite all that has resulted in favour of EU membership decided to take a stand against membership, evidently bowing down to pressure from the Malta Labour Party.

Guess what?

Dr Baldacchino concluded his report by making very specific recommendations to the GWU.

He stated that on the basis of what results from the screening of this chapter of the acquis communautaire, the GWU should ensure that all the provisions of the EU's social policy should come into force and be implemented in our country, to the benefit of all the workers; that GWU should insist for the utilisation of the European Social Fund through the modernisation and development of weak industrial estates as in Cottonera; that the GWU should express its approval that workers would (on EU membership) be acquiring the right to be informed and consulted over various decisions and measures that affect them;

that the GWU should welcome the opportunity that part-time workers in Malta will no longer be discriminated against if they work for less than 20 hours a week; that GWU should approve the betterment of work conditions; that GWU should express its approval of measures that favour equal treatment of men and women at work; that GWU should work together with employers in order that flexibility in the time of work would be implemented to the benefit of both the enterprise and the workers;

and that the GWU should accept that it is high time for the social partners - especially GWU, CMTU, MEA and FOI - to set up a model collective agreement that establishes in detail how the various (EU) directives indicated in the report come into effect.

Guess what?

Any guesses why the GWU held this and its own other reports hidden from its own members?