Employers Association attending MCESD under protest at Bencini appointment
MEA protests lack of consultation over appointment of former MUT, Forum president John Bencini to MCESD chairman.
The Malta Employers' Association will attend today's MCESD meeting, the first since the recent appointment of John Bencini, in protest at the appointment of the former union leader.
The MEA said it was "evident" that the manner in which the appointment was decided was not in conformity with Article 4 of the Malta Council for Economic and Social Development Act which clearly states that the appointment of the chairperson shall occur only after consultation with the member organisations within MCESD. "The social partners were informed about the decision, but they were certainly not consulted," the MEA said.
The GRTU, on the other hand, said it regretted that its proposal for a two-year rotation for the presidency of the MCESD between employers, unions and civil society was not accepted.
The MEA said it expected Bencini to respect the integrity of the post. "We acknowledge that government had a prerogative to decide on the person to occupy the post once consultation takes place, but a better effort should have been made to select a person who has the backing of all social partners.
"We have absolutely no objection to having an MCESD chairperson who hails from the workers' camp, or even from civil society. It's not the person's background that's important for the post, but their qualifications and credentials as a person who can facilitate constructive social dialogue, and who enjoys the respect and trust of all the social partners.
"It is difficult, and even unfair, to expect a person to get the social partners to reach consensus or to inspire a convergence of ideas when that person has been imposed on the member organisations."