VOICE OF THE
WORKERS ISSUE 09 MARCH 2014
EDITOR’S NOTE JOSEF VELLA
Contents The art of the possible
02
A woman moving forward
03
MEP female candidates respond to our questions
05
The keys to gender equality 10
Participation of women in the labour market Welcome to Issue number 9 of the Voice of the Worker e-magazine. A lot is said about issues regarding the participation of women in the labour market, work-family balance, and the challenges faced by women in today’s society. This time, apart from contributions by MCESD, MEUSAC and the CIA Brussels Office, we decided to learn at first hand. We have an interview with UHM’s latest recruit Isabelle Farrugia, who is the Secretary of the Education, Culture and Recreation Section. We also asked female candidates for the next MEP elections in May a number of questions. We are featuring responses from those who took VOICE OF THE
WORKERS
Breaking the glass ceiling 11 On the EU agenda 12
an interest in communicating the answers to us. We hope their responses will enable you to get to know them better and evaluate their opinions. UHM has always been a keen supporter of gender equality. It was an important stakeholder representing Public Sector workers when it came to family friendly measures in the public service. Moreover, UHM’s Jobs+ initiatives, together with Malta’s social partners, is already reaping fruit with regards to gender issues at work. UHM is also steadily increasing women’s contribution in the decision-making levels of the organization. With the right attitudes, we know we can make a difference. Enjoy!
I ask her what this section comprises. She pulls out a list of places of work from her notebook and reads them out. That list seems endless. I ask her how she manages to fit all of them in her schedule. She smiles and tells me it is all about working smart and managing your time well. READ MORE ON PAGE 3 1