Updated 5.35pm
The General Workers' Union has decided to join calls for a public inquiry, not only into the death of construction victim Jean Paul Sofia, but into all other deaths that occur at the workplace.
GWU members will also be attending Monday night's vigil on behalf of the workers who died during their duties.
“GWU insists that justice shall be done for every death in any workplace, including for Jean Paul Sofia and Muhammad Qasim Hashim Al-Khateeb, among all others,” the union’s spokesperson told Times of Malta.
The union’s comments follow after former prime minister Joseph Muscat said he is in favour of a public inquiry into the death of Sofia, but that it should take place following the magisterial inquiry conclusions.
Sofia, 20, died when a building under construction collapsed in Corradino in December.
Since then, Sofia’s mother, Isabelle Bonnici has been insisting that an independent public inquiry should be held, yet Labour MPs last week defeated an opposition motion pushing for it.
Mohammed Kasem Hashem Alkhateeb, 26, is Malta’s recent construction site victim, who died four days after falling at a construction site near Rabat.
The GWU appears to be taking a different tone compared to its front page story in its daily newspaper l-orizzont, which was titled: 'This evening’s vigil and speculation on who is promoting it’.
The story said that political observers on social media were of the opinion that the vigil was being promoted by organisations aligned to the Nationalist Party, and were making political mileage from the case. The story elicited many critical comments online.
But in its replies to questions, the GWU said that not only does it agree that a public inquiry should take place for this case, but it should be held for every death that occurs in any workplace.
"We want to learn from our failures and gaps. That is why we agree with a public inquiry."
The GWU said it insists that the health and safety in every workplace is “sacrosanct”.
“On various occasions, the GWU put forward recommendations on the health and safety at the workplace, on regulations regarding the contractor’s licence, on the skills card and on the Occupational Health and Safety Authority,” the spokesperson said.
“GWU demands that every workplace accident, and, increasingly, workers' deaths can be prevented.”
The union’s general secretary Josef Bugeja had spoken with Sofia’s mother and has scheduled another meeting with her in the coming days.
The union also demanded a rapid closure to the magisterial inquiry, insisting that "justice delayed is justice denied".
On Monday, Magistrate Marse-Ann Farrugia, who is leading the inquiry into the death of Sofia, filed her sixth request to extend the deadline to conclude her report.
The UĦM Voice of the Workers is also calling for a public inquiry into the death of Sofia and is calling for the construction sector to make the necessary reforms to safeguard the lives of workers.
“There should be legislative amendments with the aim of OHSA being involved in workplace accident inquiries, in an effort to speed up the process,” the union’s statement read.
Later on Monday UĦM said it will also join the vigil.