A minimum decent living wage

As expected, the social partners are still arguing, on the eve of the budget, about the increase in the minimum wage. The Low Wage Commission for a decent wage was set up last February to advise on the issue but has so far not produced an answer. Why? Is the commission not comfortable with the figures that might be indicated in their findings so far?

Some of the social partners, including the government, wish to be seen as being in favour of an increase. Others are dead against it while the unions are somewhat equivocal. 

Regarding COLA, the question in these post-COVID inflationary times is not whether this should be given, this is now a basic negotiated right, but whether this annual increase worked out through an outdated 32-year-old mechanism is nowadays enough to fairly compensate minimum wage earners. This is what we were expecting the commission to come up with. 

The government should step in to champion the cause of the low-income workers. Photo: Shutterstock.com

A sum of €13 per week has been mentioned. Do we honestly believe that this amount will realistically cover the actual increase in the cost of living? This amount is hardly enough to cover the increase in food prices, let alone those of medicines and other items. Will the government insist on this figure without knowing what the minimum wage earner really needs to live decently? 

Not surprisingly, the Chamber of Commerce and the Malta Employers’ Association are being quite vociferous on this issue, even claiming that wage hikes would be suicidal. Nobody wants this but, on the other hand, nobody wants low-income earners to sleep hungry. 

This shows how vital it is to establish what a decent wage for low-income earners should be. 

If this is established, then no entrepreneur should claim that, to carry on with his business, he has to deny his employees their due.  

If his business is only feasible provided his employees finance him through low wages, then it is obvious that the time has come for him to sell his Porsche or look for another job.

This state of uncertainty has been partly brought about by the inability of the Low Wage Commission to address this matter conclusively. It has remained silent. It has wasted eight months and has left everybody guessing and haggling. I was expecting the commission to make every effort to finish its task before the budget.  

In the circumstances, to avoid a stalemate this socialist government should step in to champion the cause of the low-income workers. If necessary, to show its good faith, it could collaborate with Caritas, which is doing an excellent job in publishing Minimum Essential Budget for a Decent Living reports. 

Thus, much spadework has already been done and is readily at hand.

The matter is urgent. It is fellow citizens on the lowest rungs of the social ladder that we are talking about here. Minimum wage earners and pensioners deserve statutory increases, not periodic handouts.

Joe Pace Ross – Sliema          

Air Malta chairpersons

I refer to the article in The Sunday Times of Malta (October 15) entitled ‘Previous Air Malta chairpersons earned more’ and wish to state that such a heading is erroneous and misleading.

As chair of Air Malta for the two-year period from May 2011 to May 2013 my remuneration for each of the two years amounted to €16,305 per year. 

By grouping the CEO remuneration with that of the chairperson one can reach a false conclusion that previous chairpersons earned more than the current chairman who has taken on the role of both that of chair and CEO.

Louis Farrugia – Ta’ Xbiex