AD meets UHM and calls for common platform on green jobs

AD’s delegation comprised Michael Briguglio, Ralph Cassar and Arnold Cassola. The UHM delegation was led by Jesmond Bonello and Josef Grech.

Michael Briguglio, AD chairperson and spokesperson for the economy congratulated the new leadership.

“Both AD and UHM have shared common positions on various issues in the past years, the most notable of which being the support of Malta’s EU membership, and the call for having sustainable national budgets with strong social and environmental priorities.

“We look forward to increase collaboration with UHM. In this regard, the US example of the Blue-Green Alliance comes to mind, where greens, unions, employers and NGOs work together for the creation of green jobs. Our policy of the Green New Deal proposes the creation of green jobs through sustainable economic policy such as the prioritization of sustainable energy.”

Prof. Arnold Cassola, AD spokesperson for EU and international affairs, said: “The UHM has always shown it has workers' rights at heart. AD encourages it to continue pressing for the upholding of all basic rights of workers in conformity with the standards set by the European Charter of Fundamental rights.”

On his part, UHM president Jesmond Bonello spoke of the importance of their 2015 Vizjoni Socjali Ghalik policy to be adopted by other unions and political parties.

Secretary-general Josef Vella said the UHM is proposing an active market policy and an active labour market policy to address the long-term unemployed and people who seek to return to the labour market.