VOICE OF THE
WORKERS ISSUE 40 OCTOBER 2014
Contents The Balancing Act
02
Sustaining Momentum: UĦM’s Budget 2015 Proposals 03 Proposti tal-GWU: Budget 2015 07
Budgeting for Today and the Future The months between October and late November in Malta normally feature discussions on the Budget for the following year. In the preceeding months, trade unions, employers’ associations, civil society, NGO’s and individuals, prepare a list of proposals they then present to government for inclusion in the budget measures adopted by government. Naturally, stakeholders make proposals that suit their own needs. This means that there has to be a balancing act in terms of calibrating together the needs of the different stakeholders in a way that maximises the common good. In this sense, this VOICE OF THE
WORKERS
is the reason why proposals put forward by the social partners are presented and discussed through the MCESD. This is a good way to engage in effective and fruitful dialogue, leading to proposals that had already been discussed at MCESD level before being taken up by government. Malta is facing a number of opportunities, as well as urgent challenges. We need to make sure that we invest the right time and resources into making work pay. The skills, training and education of our workforce is the key to more flexible and better paid work and conditions. We then
EDITOR’S NOTE JOSEF VELLA
need to be effective enough to match our workers’ skill base to the work that is or will become available. Also, we need to make sure that work is a viable option to all, including those who are unemployed, as well as women. This is the essence of Jobs+. There are also urgent challenges we need to address. Most importantly, we need to address the issue of sustainability in a number of sectors. The pensions sector is a case in point. If we don’t address now, it might be too late. The UHM and others have been constantly reminding the political class of the dangers of 1