As employers' join forces, govt stands by its decision to appoint Vince Farrugia to EESC

Farrugia’s appointment to the European Economic and Social Committee, a forum of stakeholders which consult with the EU bodies, was greeted angrily by the Malta Employers Association, who claim the GRTU, a small business chamber, do not represent employers in the same way as the MEA do. The association has also withdrawn from the MCESD in protest.

“Government recognises the role employers’ organisation play in our society and encourages them to keep up their contribution,” Said said, saying he had taken note of their statements.

They were joined by the Malta Hotel and Restaurants Association and the Chamber of Commerce in their disapproval of the nomination. The MEA claim that the GRTU should not be present on the EESC committee 2, a grouping of employers’ organisations. The government claims it received two lists of nominees from the social partners on the Malta Council for Economic and Social Development, one of which included Farrugia, whom it chose.

Said said today the government had chosen Farrugia according to the same criteria it had used in the past, six years ago, when it appointed GRTU representative Sylvia Gauci instead of Lawrence Mizzi, an MEA representative to the Brussels committee.