PM pledges ‘to eradicate’ precarious work during this legislature

Prime Minister Joseph Muscat has pledged “to eradicate” precarious work during this legislature.

Addressing a political activity in Haz-Zabbar, Muscat made an appeal to workers employed with precarious conditions “not to give the satisfaction to those who abandoned them in precarious employment for 25 years".

“We will eradicate precarious work during this legislature. I understand what you are going through… I understand so much that I don’t laugh off what a 2c petrol reduction can do or how cheaper utility bills can give you better support. But others laugh at you.

“You now have a choice to either give the satisfaction to those who abandoned you and your family for 25 years or you can go out and vote, giving us the courage to continue with our work to eradicate precarious employment.”

Amid rising applause, the Labour leader said the number of people agreeing to vote on 24 May was “increasing by the day”.

“Our message is being received loud and clear… help us convince other people,” Muscat said, in an effort to convince the disgruntled Labour grassroots to vote in the European Parliament elections.

With the parties’ campaigning in full swing, PN leader Simon Busuttil has urged his party faithful “to show Muscat the yellow card”. According to Muscat, this was because “Busuttil has nothing to offer to his followers”.

“Instead of telling his people why they should vote for him, he is targeting us. It is amply clear that Simon Busuttil is detached from the reality of pensioners, workers and the middle class. He needs a reality check,” the PM said.

In defence of the 2c petrol decrease – which the PN likened to the reductions on the price of canned tuna – Muscat said it was only those “who received millions in direct orders” who would not feel the difference of what it means.

“So whenever you are at the fuel station, refilling your car twice a week, remember that one party wanted you to save on your costs while the other is laughing off those savings. Remember that our good news is not a White Rocks project that failed miserably but a plan that is a reality.”

Telling his Zabbar audience that a Labour government had quadrupled economic growth and focused its policies on job creation, Muscat said the “best is yet to come”.

The PN has cited EU figures to show that Malta’s rate of unemployment was on the rise, including youth unemployment. Muscat this morning said Malta improved its unemployment index by one place and youth unemployment was “on the decrease”.

“For every person registering for work, we have created nine places of work. The PN administration created four.”

During Labour’s first year in government, 404 new self-employed and 312 new jobs were registered in Gozo. Reacting to criticism that government was employing more with the public service, Muscat pointed out that those employed with the government were teachers, doctors and nurses.

This week the government also launched a national employment policy, with one of the measures being the financing of the 14-weeks maternity leave. This will be paid in full by the government but employers will see “a minimal” increase in the yearly social security contributions.

“I said I wanted to lead the most feminist government, and this is how we do it. We fight discrimination because, during job interviews, women are still asked whether they plan on building a family. Now employers will not have to worry on paying maternity leave, and the cost will be spread thin.”