Żminijietna calls for minimum wage increase and 35-hour work weeks in budget
Measures spanning housing, healthcare and union membership among the proposals
Left-wing policy advocate group Żminijietna has called on the government to raise the national minimum wage and reduce the working week to 35 hours as part of its budget proposals.
The think tank would also like to see workers from outside the EU “protected” by mandatory union membership, and those forced to purchase out-of-stock medicines normally obtained for free through the POYC scheme to be reimbursed.
The group also proposed enshrining the right to affordable housing in the Constitution, aimed at putting pressure on the state to introduce “progressive legislation against housing speculation”, while advocating for housing cooperatives and rent regulation.
"State budgets should start focusing more towards sustainable communities. The main focus being environmental and economic sustainability, safer public spaces and sustainable urban infrastructure, social equity and local councils that have more say", the group said.
“Social reforms should focus more on enhancing supported living for people with various health conditions and challenging behaviours. Also, the Government should allocate more funding to non-governmental organisations to assist people experiencing homelessness.”
The government will present its 2026 Budget on October 27, with Prime Minister Robert Abela having hinted at measures towards lower taxes, bigger benefits, more investment for business and families and stable bills.
Finance Minister Clyde Caruana will field questions from Times of Malta editor-in-chief Herman Grech at a pre-Budget event on October 21.