FORUM tells government to raise workers’ salaries

The government should raise workers’ salaries in the light of recent economic success, Forum Unions Maltin said.

“It appears that Malta is now on the right path to economic recovery and workers should benefit from this generated growth,” Forum President Paul Pace said, pointing out that it was the unions who saved Malta from passing through a disastrous economic situation like other countries had gone through. “The government should address the issue of workers’ salaries, through COLA or otherwise, to ensure that economic growth is being distributed properly. We have serious reserves about how well this is happening at the moment.” 

“The time has come for Maltese workers to benefit from wage rises, better work conditions, and a better quality of life,” Pace said. “Maltese workers should feel that they have equal rights as other workers in the EU and not remain second-class citizens.”
The cost of living adjustment (COLA) for the 2015 budget will allocate a 58c weekly increase in salaries payable by all employers. Prime Minister Joseph Muscat has said that he will not "play around" with the COLA mechanism. 

“The Forum will continue insisting that the government revise the mechanism that determines the cost of life,” Pace said.